Jacob Elordihas finally broken his silence about replacingAndrew Garfieldin Guillermo del Toro’s upcomingFrankensteinadaptation for Netflix. Reports that Garfield had exited the project due to scheduling conflicts started to circulate at the beginning of the month, and now Elordi has shared his excitement about working with del Toro. He joins a star-studded cast that includes Oscar Isaac (who will portray scientist Victor Frankenstein), Mia Goth, Christoph Watlz, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, and Christian Convery.
While appearing onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host said to Elordi that he heard the actor had been cast in the newFrankensteinmovie, to which Elordi responded: “Same.” He then went on:
Yeah, I’m playing Frankenstein’s creature… for Guillermo, who is the God of monsters. He’s the kindest man, and he’s so sincere. He’s brilliant.
According to the film’s official logline:
“Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.”
Elordi is one of Hollywood’s most popular young actors. He rose to popularity in Netflix’sThe Kissing Boothtrilogy (films the actor has gone on recordsaying he didn’t want to make) and later starred inEuphoriaas Nate Jacobs. He is expected to return for the Max series' anticipated third season. Elordi has received recent praise for portraying Elvis in Sofia Coppola’sPriscillaand his role in Emerald Fennell’sSaltburn.
He will next appear in Paul Schrader’sOh, Canada, andOn Swift Horsesalongside Daisy Edgar-Jones. Elordi is set to hostSaturday Night Livelater this month, where he will be joined by musical guest Reneé Rapp on January 20.
Del Toro, meanwhile, is a three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker whose credits includePan’s Labyrinth, Nightmare Alley, Hellboy, Cronos, andThe Devil’s Backbone.
Related:Why Guillermo del Toro is a Perfect Director for Frankenstein
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Del Toro will write the screenplay and directFrankenstein, which has long been a dream project for the Academy Award-winning filmmaker; he will also produce alongside J. Miles Dale. In October, following an IMAX 3D screening ofPacific Rim, del Toro spoke onwhy the time is idealto bring his version ofFrankensteininto fruition:
“I’m doing Frankenstein […] So, we’re working on it. We start shooting in February. And, I mean, it’s a movie I have been wanting to do for 50 years since I saw the first Frankenstein and I had an epiphany. And it’s basically a movie that requires — required — a lot of growth and a lot of tools that I couldn’t have done 10 years ago, 20 years ago. Now, I’m brave or crazy enough or something, and we’re gonna tackle it. It’s Oscar Isaac, Andrew Garfield [who was still attached to the project at the time], Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, and we’re working on it.”
Del Toro’sFrankensteinmarks the latest collaboration between the acclaimed filmmaker and Netflix; it followsGuillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio(which earned an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film), the animated filmsTrollhunters: Rise of the TitansandTrollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, and the anthology seriesGuillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.He is also working on a stop-motion animated adaptation ofThe Buried Giantfor the streamer. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel of the same name, the feature follows the journey of Axl and Beatrice, a couple who set off on a journey to find their son, who they have not seen for some time, and actually do not remember very well.
Mary Shelley’sFrankensteinwas published in 1818; the gothic horror novel follows scientist Victor Frankenstein, who brings a giant creature to life. The novel, which explores themes of creation, death, isolation, and love, and its titular monster, has inspired numerous films, including 1931’sFrankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, andYoung Frankenstein. The critically acclaimed,Golden Globe-winningPoor Things, starring Emma Stone, is based on Alasdair Gray’s novel of the same name and serves as a retelling of Shelley’s novel.
There is currently no word on a release date for del Toro’sFrankenstein.
