Frankenstein star Osaac Isaac gushes about working with Guillermo del Toro on the upcoming Netflix adaptation, claiming it’s the most fun he’s had on a movie set. Serving as del Toro’s follow-up to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022), the upcoming film is a faithful take on Mary Shelley’s iconnic 1818 novel.
Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein in the film, with Jacob Elordi taking on the role of The Creature. Also featuring Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth, Frankenstein premiered at the Venice International Film Festival this past August, earning a positive response from critics.
The final film evidently proved popular at Venice, but Isaac explains to SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar+) that making Frankenstein was just as satisfying. According to Isaac, “It was the most f*cking fun I’ve ever had in my life.”
The actor explains that the practical sets and del Toro’s enthusiasm for the material and the movie-making process is ultimately what set this filmmaking experience apart:
“Running around in the rain, up and down steps, this Christ-like thing on a crucifix and Guillermo in the corner, screaming! It was hard to fathom that it was actually happening. It’s such dark material, but was approached with so much joy. Like 14 year olds had keys to the kingdom – it had that kind of energy to it.”
Del Toro’s Frankenstein Approach Is Paying Off
Frankenstein won’t release to the general public until October 17, when it gets a limited theatrical release, with its Netflix bow to follow on November 7. So far, however, it’s looking like the joy the cast and crew experienced on set has resulted in a film that does justice to Shelley’s source material.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Frankenstein enjoys an 81% score from critics from 88 reviews. Though this score could still fluctuate as more reviews are added, it indicates a generally positive response. Reviews praise the set design and the faithfulness of the adaptation, with Elordi’s Monster highlighted as a standout.
In his Frankenstein review for Screen Rant, Jack Walters awards the film a seven out of 10 score, praising the visual presentation of the film and the effective dialogue. Walters writes:
The quality of production and level of visual creativity is staggering, and the screenplay has the perfect blend of poetic prose and natural dialogue to walk the line between the Victorian source material and the modern-day audience.
It’s no secret that making a Frankenstein movie has long been a goal for del Toro. The director has been working towards this adaptation for three decades now, calling it his “Mount Everest” in an interview with Variety. The director’s joy on set then, is fitting, as Netflix reportedly gave him $120 million to make it.
The major question right now is whether general audiences will be as open to Frankenstein as most critics are. Though box office won’t be a major concern given that it’s a Netflix release, del Toro’s last live-action film, Nightmare Alley (2021), didn’t really strike a chord with the average moviegoer, earning a lukewarm 68% Popcornmeter Score on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing only $39 million worldwide.
Will Oscar Isaac Become A Frequent del Toro Collaborator?
Frankenstein marks the first time Isaac and del Toro have collaborated on a movie, and Isaac’s comments certainly suggest it was an experience the pair could be keen on replicating. Del Toro is currently attached to a stop-motion project called The Buried Giant, but it’s unclear what his next live-action movie will be.
Isaac, on the other hand, is set to appear in Beef season 2, and is also expected to reprise his voice role as Miguel O’Hara in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Given the Star Wars actor’s most recent comments, it certainly seems like an Isaac and del Toro reunion could be on the cards at some point after Frankenstein.
