After bumping around the traditional film studios for the last 25 years, Guillermo del Toro signed an overall deal with Netflix in 2020, which has, so far, worked out well for the filmmaker. His anthology series, Cabinet of Curiosities, is interesting and showcases the work of various filmmakers such as Panos Cosmatos (Mandy), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and Catherine Hardwicke, who, despite directing a massively successful film in Twilight, somehow got stuck with the “difficult” label because she didn’t want to rush right into a sequel for that film.
I stan a filmmaker who stands up for his colleagues! Del Toro also has Pinocchio on Netflix now—aka, the good Pinocchio of 2022—and is currently an Oscar nominee, along with co-director Mark Gustafson, for Best Animated Feature. His next Netflix-based project is supposedly a new adaption of Frankenstein, thus reviving one of del Toro’s dream projects.
He was supposed to make a Frankenstein film with Universal ten-plus years ago, but the project died, probably something to do with Universal’s attempt at an MCU-style “Dark Universe” (LOL REMEMBER?). Back then, Doug Jones, del Toro’s longtime collaborator, was hoping to play the monster, but a new report suggests Andrew Garfield has been cast as Frankenstein’s Monster, opposite Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein. This is lovely casting, I hope it’s true.
One thing that does ring true is Garfield as the Monster, because Doug Jones described the old, Universal-era design of the Monster as less Boris Karloff lumbering around a lake, and more “emaciated” and “pathetic looking”. I can 100% see Andrew Garfield as a bony, sad boy Frankenstein’s Monster, can’t you? Just as I can see Oscar Isaac in wild-eyes mode, hissing “It’s alive!” (to the tune of “Learning”, of course). I just hope del Toro finally gets to make his Frankenstein. He is one of the genuinely kindest and most enthusiastic people in the industry, let him do whatever he wants. For every asshole who gets a Hollywood redemption, Guillermo del Toro should get to make one of his passion projects.
And a curious coincidence since, as Lainey just wrote, Andrew’s ex-girlfriend Emma Stone is also supposed to be playing a version of Frankenstein’s monster.
