The Bride! is not the only auteur-based Frankenstein adaptation coming up, but it is certainly one to be excited about. Adapting characters from Mary Shelley’s book and inspired by Bride of Frankenstein, it’s the second feature from actor-turned-director Maggie Gyllenhaal. It transports the story to 1930s Chicago, where Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help him make a companion for his monster. The Bride!‘s cast includes Jessie Buckley, Jake Gyllenhaal, Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, John Magaro, and Peter Sarsgaard. It is set for release on March 6, 2026.

If the past few months of releases have proven anything, unique, auteur-driven horror movies are H๏τ right now. This trend started with Robert Eggers’ well-received adaptation of Nosferatu, which was released late last year. Then, Ryan Coogler produced Sinners, expertly blending a historical setting (and a similar era to that of The Bride), with its vampiric story. Following the vampire movie’s release, it has gotten me more excited about other artistic horror films to come, like The Bride! Plus, there is one element that both may share in common, and I really hope it is true.

Could Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! Be Our Next Big Horror Musical?

Early Reports Suggested The Frankenstein Movie Has Song-And-Dance Numbers

Based on the initial reporting about The Bride!, the movie might be set to subvert genre expectations. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last year, Sarsgaard (who is also married to Gyllenhaal), spoke incredibly highly of the film. He called it “the best script [he’s] ever read” and said it is “punk” and “really emotional.” Even more fascinatingly, however, he noted that there are “big dance numbers and stuff in the movie.“ Check out Sarsgaard’s full quote about this below:

Then Jessie is the most abstract, random, free-flowing, in-the-moment actor you could ever work with. She can also sing and dance by the way — big time. There are big dance numbers and stuff in the movie. I’m so happy with the way that Warner Bros. has supported Maggie on the movie, too. It’s nice to work with Pam Abdy over there who I worked with on Garden State back in the day. It’s a great studio that has artistically-minded people running it.

Song and dance numbers do not necessarily mean it is a musical. There are plenty of movies with music or films that may have a standalone dance piece, but may not necessarily be musicals. What is confirmed about its plot is that it is set in the 1930s, and it will see Frankenstein and Euphronius give life to a murdered woman. Since Sarsgaard’s initial statement, reports have been mixed on whether The Bride! is definitely a musical. Right now, “musical” is among the multiple genres listed on the film’s IMDb page, but Warner Bros. has yet to confirm it.

The Bride! Might Be Retooled, But Cutting The Music Would Be A Mistake

Sinners Proved The Power Of A Stealth Musical

Making matters more complicated is the fact that the movie is set to be reworked. Reports from Puck have previously indicated that the movie will be reworked after a lackluster test screening response. The Bride!‘s release date, originally scheduled for October 2025, has also been pushed back to March 2026. In the report, Puck mentioned issues with Warner Bros. potentially overbudgeting for the movie. Fascinatingly, though, the source also contends that “it may be too arthouse and not squarely enough in the horror genre to generate the big audience that the budget demands.” The full quote is below:

Longtime industry insiders are also scratching their heads at Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein riff, The Bride, starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley. Gyllenhaal has directed only one film: artsy Netflix project The Lost Daughter, which earned three Oscar nominations. From that movie to a budget of more than $100 million is quite an astonishing leap. “To give her anything more than $15 million to make the movie is irresponsible, as far as I’m concerned,” said the head of one production company. The film, which was sH๏τ in New York, is said to have had worrisome test screenings that suggest it may be too arthouse and not squarely enough in the horror genre to generate the big audience that the budget demands. Abdy is now tasked with getting it into shape for a planned release in the fall, and word is she’s having a hard time of it. (Warners declined to comment.)

This language suggests some genre-bending in Gyllenhaal’s film, which would seemingly corroborate Sarsgaard’s statement. After all, a Frankenstein adaptation replete with song and dance numbers could certainly be one way that a film could be “too arthouse” for a big studio. Even if this is proven correct, the retooling could mean that The Bride!‘s musical piece does not make it to the final cut. This would be a disheartening solution to tweaking the film, especially after Buckley’s performance was praised by Sarsgaard so heavily.

After seeing Sinners, I would be even more disappointed if The Bride! strips away its musical elements. Even if the Sinners trailers largely hid this fact, music was essential to the fabric of the films. Sammie’s blues riffs and Pearline’s impressive belting are still running through my head over a month later. This musical quality makes the movie what it is, creating the film’s tone and rhythms to create a truly unique horror experience.

Studios have leaned into hiding the movie’s musical elements, as they did with Sinners. This genre is typically seen as a detriment to a film’s box office potential. This was true with last year’s Joker: Folie à Deux, a musical sequel that made a paltry $207.5 million, paling in comparison to Joker‘s $1 billion release. However, with Sinners doing so well at the box office, I’m much more hopeful now that Warner Bros. (who produces both films), might be more willing to take the genre-blending risk. If they don’t, it could be a huge hit to The Bride!‘s artistry.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb, Puck