"he’s going to nail it": Guillermo Del Toro explains why his Frankenstein monster is unlike any other

Guillermo Del Toro says the creature in Frankenstein is not like other past versions. He explains that the creature reflects Victor’s lifelong vision. He says the design is intentional and built to represent Victor’s dream and that the result feels like a being at the start of life. Del Toro told Entertainment Weekly on September 8, 2025:

"Victor is as much an artist as he is a surgeon, and if he's been dreaming about this creature for all his life, he's going to nail it. It looks like a newborn, alabaster creature. The scars are beautiful and almost aerodynamic."

The film will open in theatres on October 17, 2025, and stream on Netflix on November 7, 2025.

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Guillermo Del Toro on design, Elordi, and release

Guillermo del Toro speaks onstage during Netflix's "Frankenstein" North American premiere (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Netflix)

Guillermo Del Toro said he did not want the creature to look like an accident victim. He wanted a form that matched Victor’s precise aim. He mentioned the skin came "from different bodies, so it has different colors all over."

"It feels like a newborn soul," Del Toro told EW.

Reports note that prosthetics and makeup were used to shape scars and skin tone. Staging in key scenes also highlights this vision. The approach was noted by audiences in Venice and Toronto. He also pointed out Jacob Elordi’s link to the role. He said Elordi once remarked:

"This creature is more me than I am."

Del Toro added that Elordi used physical work and voice control to shape his performance. He said that Elordi engaged with the role in a way that felt both physical and internal. Reports show that his preparation included long sessions with the creative team to capture the balance between fragility and strength.

Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein will open for a limited theatrical viewing from October 17, 2025, and it will begin streaming on Netflix from November 7, 2025. He also spoke at Toronto and Venice festivals about the film. The film was screened to audiences at both festivals where reactions focused on the creature’s unique presence and design choices.

The release will mark the first time Del Toro brings his long-planned version of Frankenstein to screen. He has said in multiple interviews that the project has been with him for many years. He also noted that Jacob Elordi’s casting gave the production a shape that fit both the character’s height and physical bearing.

Reports suggest that the collaboration between Del Toro, Elordi, and the design team was central to the creature’s final form.

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The film now moves from festival previews to its wider release.