The Bride! Teases A Much-Needed Frankenstein Remix
Here comes the Bride.
Hollywood’s Frankenstein Renaissance is in full force, much to the delight of horror fans. Mary Shelley’s enduring sci-fi tale has been a part of the zeitgeist for literal centuries, but it’s been a while since so many big-screen adaptations have premiered in such proximity. From Emma Stone’s Oscar-winning performance in Poor Things, to Guillermo del Toro’s indulgent remake, to another upcoming Frankenstein starring Sebastian Stan, the resurgence doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. And if that wasn’t enough, we’ve also got The Bride! hitting theaters in 2026.
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Bride! is less a remake of Frankenstein than of The Bride of Frankenstein. The 1935 film was one of movie history’s earliest smash hit sequels, following up on (and even retconning) events from the Frankenstein film starring Boris Karloff. Bride also went further than Shelley’s original novel by adding its title character, a figure that’s now a permanent fixture in the classic horror hall of fame. She’s a favorite among fans, but it’s been almost 100 years since she got the spotlight in Bride.
Unlike her monstrous other half, who’s popped up in a new film each decade, the Bride is overdue for a reappraisal, and Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! is poised to fill that void with a flourish. The upcoming remake will transplant this story to turn-of-the-century New York, fashioning the Bride (played by Jessie Buckley) and the Creature (Christian Bale) into a sci-fi/horror version of Bonnie and Clyde.
The first trailer doesn’t give much away, but teases a raucous love story. The excess and chaos of the 1920s are on full display, with reckless car chases, alleyway fights, and plenty of party scenes informing the Bride’s new life. Bale’s Creature, whom the Bride calls “Frankie,” is also presented as a threatening force, rather than the tragic, sympathetic figure featured in other adaptations. He reveals that he orchestrated the “accident” that ended the Bride’s life, resurrecting her so that he could have a companion.
That’s not the best foundation to start a relationship, and The Bride! will ideally explore every dark corner of their dynamic. This is, after all, a story from our heroine’s point of view: the Creature may not be the misunderstood figure we’re used to seeing, but that means we’ll also see new sides of the Bride too.
