Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Frankenstein (2025) was released in theaters on October 17, 2025.
Distributed by Netflix.
Movie Review
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) gives new life to the classic horror story with stunning visuals and deep emotions.
Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein, a man obsessed with creating life, while Jacob Elordi gives a moving performance as the Creature, showing both his pain and longing to be understood.
The film looks beautiful, with dark, moody sets and powerful music that make every scene memorable.
It’s more than just a monster movie, it’s about loneliness, guilt, and what it means to be human.
Some parts move slowly, but the story’s heart and emotion make it worth it. Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz add strong performances that balance science, sorrow, and moral struggle.
In short, Frankenstein (2025) is a touching and visually stunning retelling that mixes horror with heartbreak, reminding us why this story still matters today.
CR Ratings – 8.3/10
Frankenstein (2025) Actors
Oscar Isaac as Baron Victor Frankenstein
DOB: March 9, 1979.
Bio: Guatemalan-American actor renowned for his remarkable versatility, seamlessly transitioning between independent dramas and major studio blockbusters.
A Juilliard-trained performer with a background in music and stage, Isaac is known for his magnetic presence and emotional intelligence on screen.
Role: Baron Victor Frankenstein is a brilliant yet tormented scientist whose obsession with mastering life and death drives the film’s central tragedy.
Under Guillermo del Toro’s direction, this version of Victor is deeply human, a visionary undone by his grief and hubris.
What to expect: A layered lead performance: charismatic, morally messy and heartbreakingly human as the scientist who pays dearly for tampering with life.
Interesting facts: Isaac reportedly collaborated closely with del Toro to refine Victor’s psychological depth, describing the project as “a gothic opera about love and guilt.”
Notable works: Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machina, Dune: Part One & Two, Moon Knight, Star Wars sequel trilogy.
Jacob Elordi as The Creature
DOB: June 26, 1997.
Bio: Australian actor who rose to prominence through teen dramas before reinventing himself as one of the most intriguing young talents in contemporary cinema.
After The Kissing Booth trilogy brought him mainstream attention, his raw and unsettling turns in Euphoria and Saltburn showcased his range and willingness to take creative risks.
Role: Elordi portrays the Creature, Frankenstein’s tragic creation, envisioned by Guillermo del Toro as more human than monstrous.
Rather than a brute, this version of the Creature is an articulate, suffering being, struggling with identity, isolation, and the anguish of rejection by his creator.
What to expect: A transformative, career-defining performance, physically intense yet deeply emotional.
Interesting facts: Elordi joined the project after Andrew Garfield’s departure, prompting del Toro to rework the Creature’s design to align with Elordi’s towering frame and expressive style.
Early reports from production praise his interpretation as “hauntingly poetic.”
Notable works: Euphoria (TV), Saltburn, Priscilla, The Kissing Booth trilogy, Deep Water.
Mia Goth as Lady Elizabeth Harlander / Baroness Claire Frankenstein
DOB: October 25, 1993.
Bio: English actress celebrated for her bold, haunting performances in psychological horror and art-house cinema.
Known for her fearless emotional transparency, Goth has become a modern horror icon, frequently collaborating with visionary directors who push the boundaries of genre.
Role: In Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Goth portrays Lady Elizabeth Harlander, a compassionate, ethereal figure who forms a deep connection with the Creature.
She also appears as Baroness Claire Frankenstein, Victor’s late mother, seen in memory and vision sequences.
What to expect: A haunting, emotionally layered performance that grounds the film’s gothic beauty.
Interesting facts: Del Toro reportedly wrote the dual role with Goth in mind, citing her “uncanny ability to make the unreal feel heartbreakingly human.”
Notable works: Pearl, X, MaXXXine, A Cure for Wellness, High Life, Suspiria (2018).
Felix Kammerer as William Frankenstein
DOB: September 19, 1995.
Bio: Austrian actor best known for his breakout performance in All Quiet on the Western Front (2022).
Trained at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin, Kammerer built his career on stage before transitioning to screen.
Role: In Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Kammerer plays William Frankenstein, Victor’s beloved younger brother and the embodiment of innocence in a story consumed by obsession and grief.
William’s tragic fate becomes the emotional and moral turning point for Victor, driving the film’s exploration of guilt, consequence, and the fragility of human love.
What to expect: A deeply sympathetic performance that anchors the family’s emotional collapse.
Interesting facts: Del Toro reportedly admired Kammerer’s work in All Quiet on the Western Front and personally pushed for his casting to bring a sense of tragic purity to the Frankenstein family dynamic.
Notable works: All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), Jedermann (stage), Narziss und Goldmund (2020).
Lars Mikkelsen as Captain Anderson
DOB: May 6, 1964.
Bio: Danish actor renowned for his commanding screen presence and understated gravitas.
A veteran of both European and international productions, he has become known for portraying intellectual, morally complex, and quietly authoritative figures.
Role: Captain Anderson, the seasoned Arctic explorer whose crew encounters both Victor Frankenstein and the Creature in the film’s framing narrative.
Anderson serves as the moral observer to the unfolding tragedy, representing humanity’s attempt to understand, and survive the extremes of creation and obsession.
What to expect: A grounding, weathered performance that bookends the film’s tragic arc.
Interesting facts: Mikkelsen’s casting continues del Toro’s tradition of anchoring fantastical stories with serious, character-driven performers.
He is the older brother of actor Mads Mikkelsen and has lent his voice to major franchises, including Star Wars: Rebels as Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Notable works: The Killing, House of Cards, Sherlock, Star Wars: Ahsoka.
Christoph Waltz as Henrich Harlander
DOB: October 4, 1956.
Bio: Austrian-German actor celebrated for his eloquent, razor-sharp performances that blend sophistication, wit, and quiet menace.
Trained in Vienna and New York, his multilingual fluency and theatrical precision make him one of cinema’s most magnetic performers.
Role: Henrich Harlander, a wealthy industrialist and arms magnate who secretly bankrolls Victor Frankenstein’s experiments.
Afflicted by illness and driven by his own fear of mortality, Harlander becomes both patron and enabler, pushing Victor toward ethical collapse.
What to expect: Nuanced, scene-elevating turns where charm and menace coexist.
Interesting facts: Guillermo del Toro reportedly wrote Harlander with Waltz in mind, describing him as “a mirror of Victor’s ambition, seen through the eyes of age and power.”
Notable works: Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, Spectre, No Time to Die.
David Bradley as Blind Man
DOB: April 17, 1942.
Bio: English actor celebrated for his deep humanity and textured portrayals across film, television, and stage.
Trained at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Bradley’s career spans decades of acclaimed performances where he brings warmth, wit, and quiet gravitas to every role.
Role: Bradley portrays the Blind Man, a humble recluse who befriends the Creature, unaware of his monstrous appearance.
Their bond represents the film’s moral heart: empathy and recognition beyond fear.
What to expect: Quiet, emotionally resonant scenes that let the Creature’s softer side emerge.
Interesting facts: Director Guillermo del Toro has long admired Bradley’s work, having collaborated with him on The Strain.
Their reunion here continues del Toro’s tradition of casting veteran British talent in roles that carry emotional wisdom.
Notable works: Harry Potter (as Argus Filch), Game of Thrones (as Walder Frey), The Strain, Broadchurch.
Charles Dance as Baron Leopold Frankenstein
DOB: October 10, 1946.
Bio: English actor, writer, and director whose distinguished career spans over five decades.
Known for his commanding voice, aristocratic bearing, and precise delivery, Dance often portrays figures of power, intellect, or menace.
Role: Dance plays Baron Leopold Frankenstein, the stern patriarch whose cold rationalism and rigid expectations forge Victor’s obsessive drive.
As the embodiment of societal prestige and emotional neglect, Leopold’s influence looms large, his approval both desired and feared.
What to expect: A towering, emotionally restrained portrayal that reveals the roots of Victor’s tragic obsession.
Interesting facts: Guillermo del Toro reportedly sought Dance for the role to embody “Victorian control and cold brilliance.”
Notable works: Game of Thrones (as Tywin Lannister), The Crown, The Imitation Game, Gosford Park.
Lauren Collins as Alma (the Hunter’s Wife)
DOB: August 29, 1986.
Bio: Canadian actress best known for her breakout role as Paige Michalchuk in Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Over the years, she has transitioned from teen drama to more mature, emotionally grounded performances across film and television.
Role: Alma, the hunter’s wife whose brief but meaningful encounter with the Creature underscores the film’s moral and emotional contrasts.
Her compassion and curiosity toward the Creature serve as a reminder of humanity’s capacity for grace amid fear and superstition.
What to expect: Simple, warm scenes of caregiving and community that contrast with Victor’s scientific hubris.
Interesting facts: Collins has spoken in interviews about enjoying character-driven stories and collaborating with auteur directors on emotionally nuanced material.
Notable works: Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Best Years, Slasher, The Strain.
Sofia Galasso as Anna-Maria
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Sofia Galasso is a rising young performer making her early mark in feature films.
With natural presence and expressive depth, she represents a new generation of talent chosen for emotionally grounded storytelling rather than mere precocity.
Role: Anna-Maria, the child living with the blind man who offers the Creature his first taste of kindness and connection.
Through her innocent curiosity and trust, she becomes instrumental in teaching the Creature empathy, speech, and the foundations of human emotion.
What to expect: Quiet, affecting interactions and the emotional seeds that shape the Creature’s later heartbreak.
Interesting facts: Child performers in del Toro films often leave unforgettable impressions despite limited screen time.
Notable works: Frankenstein (2025) — debut major film role.
Ralph Ineson as Professor Krempe
DOB: December 15, 1969.
Bio: English actor celebrated for his deep, gravelly voice and commanding screen presence.
With decades of work spanning film, television, and stage, he’s become a go-to performer for roles requiring gravitas and raw humanity.
Role: Professor Krempe, one of Victor Frankenstein’s university mentors, a stern academic whose skepticism and grounded pragmatism clash with Victor’s visionary arrogance.
What to expect: Earthy, blunt displays of skepticism and moral authority in classroom and debate scenes.
Interesting facts: Known for his rich voice and imposing screen presence, Ineson has also lent his vocals to major video games and narrations.
Notable works: The Witch (2015), The Green Knight (2021), The Northman (2022), Game of Thrones.
Burn Gorman as the Executioner
DOB: September 1, 1974.
Bio: British-American actor known for his distinctive intensity and ability to bring depth to morally ambiguous or unsettling characters.
With a background in both television and film, he’s built a career out of memorable supporting roles that often steal the scene.
Role: Gorman portrays the Executioner, a chilling symbol of the era’s sanctioned violence and public cruelty.
His role serves as a reminder of the grim social systems that make Victor’s grave-robbing and experimentation possible
What to expect: A physically rugged, shocking appearance that underlines the period’s brutality.
Interesting facts: Del Toro, who previously worked with him on Pacific Rim, reportedly cast him again for his ability to project menace with minimal dialogue.
Notable works: Torchwood, Game of Thrones, Pacific Rim, The Dark Knight Rises.
More Actors
• Christian Convery as Young Victor Frankenstein.
• Kyle Gatehouse as Young Hunter.
• Peter Millard as Professor Stokeld.
• Peter MacNeil as Professor Maurus.
• Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Chief Officer Larsen.
FAQ – Frankenstein (2025) Movie
What is Frankenstein (2025) about?
A gothic, cinematic reimagining of Mary Shelley’s novel directed by Guillermo del Toro, focusing on Victor Frankenstein and his creation in an emotionally driven, visually lavish adaptation.
Is the film faithful to Mary Shelley’s novel?
It is an adaptation that stays true to the novel’s core themes (creation, otherness, responsibility) while reframing and expanding elements for del Toro’s cinematic, emotional vision.
How long is the movie?
The film runs approximately 2 hours 29 minutes (roughly 149–150 minutes).
What is the content rating / is it suitable for kids?
The film contains strong violence, disturbing imagery and mature themes, it’s intended for adult audiences and is not suitable for young children.
Conclusion
Frankenstein (2025) is a haunting yet heartfelt masterpiece that reimagines Mary Shelley’s timeless story for a modern audience.
Guillermo del Toro delivers a film that blends gothic horror with deep emotion, turning a tale of creation and destruction into one about love, loss, and humanity.
The performances by Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth bring depth and soul to every scene, making the audience feel both fear and compassion.
It’s not just a monster story, it’s a reflection on how far people will go for power and connection.
With its dark beauty, powerful themes, and emotional storytelling, Frankenstein stands out as one of 2025’s most thought-provoking films.