Frankenstein’s Resurgence In 2025 Pits Christian Bale Against Jacob Elordi To Be The Best Monster

Summary

• 2025 will bring two new adaptations of Mary Shelley’s
  Frankenstein
  , each with a different actor as the iconic Monster.
• Guillermo del Toro and Maggie Gyllenhaal are directing the projects, showcasing fresh takes on the classic horror story.
• Christian Bale and Jacob Elordi will portray Frankenstein’s Monster in separate films, promising unique performances.

Frankenstein is one of the most iconic horror stories of all time, and 2025 is set to have two adaptations of Mary Shelley’s famous novel, each with a different actor embodying the famous Monster. Originally published in 1818, Shelley’s Frankenstein story has been used countless times as the basis for TV shows and movies, both live-action and animated. Next year, two projects will be hoping to add to the iconic portrayals of Frankenstein’s Monster. While the two movies aren’t related beyond using the same source material, comparisons between them will be inevitable.

Frankenstein is a perfect blend of sci-fi and horror, a combination that has been replicated many times. With the original novel long out of copyright, various studios have put their spin on the classic story. However, Universal Pictures is responsible for the imagery most associated with the tale, releasing their Frankenstein movie in 1931 and debuting a version of the Monster and his creator that is still seen by many as the seminal iteration of the characters. With two more adaptations on the way in 2025, classic horror fans can expect even more fresh takes on Shelley’s work.

Christian Bale Will Be Frankenstein’s Monster In The Bride

Bale’s Monster will have a female co-star

2025’s The Bride will have The Dark Knight star Christian Bale step into the shoes of Frankenstein’s Monster. The title of the upcoming movie, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, suggests the project will focus on the Bride of Frankenstein – another character who debuted in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. The titular role will be played by Jessie Buckley, making her Bale’s co-star in the movie. The Bride would appear to be jumping further into the story than a franchise starter would typically do – if the aim is indeed to start a new Frankenstein franchise.

Gyllenhaal’s first peek at Bale and Buckley in character can be found on her Instagram account, with the director posting images of both actors, presumably how they will appear in the movie. Bale looks every inch the classic Frankenstein’s Monster, whereas the Bride looks to have been slightly modernized when compared with how she is traditionally portrayed. However, she certainly looks like she belongs in that universe. Only time will tell how the production will unfold, and how the story and characters will truly compare with the source material and other adaptations from years gone by.

Jacob Elordi Is Playing The Monster In Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein

Del Toro’s Frankenstein movie is another new spin on the famous story

Director Guillermo Del Toro will also be taking on the task of adapting Frankenstein into a live-action movie in 2025. Unlike Maggie Gyllenhaal’s project, Del Toro will seemingly be keeping the title of the source material unchanged. Saltburn and Euphoria star Jacob Elordi will play the movie’s title character, with the movie itself adding to Del Toro’s impressive collection of beasts and creatures that litter his back catalog.

2025’s
Frankenstein
will be something of a departure for Elordi, whose usual roles don’t usually fall into such fantastical categories.

2025’s Frankenstein will be something of a departure for Elordi, whose usual roles don’t usually fall into such fantastical categories. For Del Toro, the movie is set to be business as usual, with the story lending itself perfectly to the filmmaker’s style. While he’s been known to create his own worlds, such as in 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth, Del Toro has also overseen several adaptations, such as his Hellboy movies and 2022’s stop-motion Pinocchio​​​​​​ film. In addition, Del Toro’s script is set to take place long after the original story has transpired, which could also inform Elordi’s performance.

Christian Bale & Jacob Elordi’s Performances Are Bound To Be Different

It will be impossible not to compare Bale’s version of the Monster with Elordi’s

Both actors will have very different approaches to portraying Frankenstein’s Monster in their respective upcoming movies. The tone of each film will also have an impact on Bale and Elordi’s creative choices when embodying the famous Mary Shelley character. In addition, Maggie Gyllenhaal has far less experience as a director than Guillermo Del Toro, with the bulk of her credits coming as an actor rather than behind the camera. While her expertise may lie in acting, it just means her directing style will likely be very different from that of the seasoned hand of Del Toro.

Both of the 2025 Frankenstein’s Monster actors tend to embody human characters rather than anything even approaching the Shelly creation. However, Christian Bale’s role as Gorr in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder may serve him well for his upcoming role. Elordi has no such experience with more off-beat characters, which means he’ll need to rely on different tricks from his skill set to bring the Monster to life in his Frankenstein movie.