Talk about perfect timing. Just as Guillermo del Toro’s hotly anticipated “Frankenstein” readies for its Venice Film Festival debut, Hollywood’s beloved monster-maker has landed another prestigious role — guest artistic director for AFI Fest 2025. Some might call it coincidence. Those who know del Toro’s work would probably call it fate.
The announcement from AFI president Bob Gazzale practically sparkles with understatement. “Guillermo del Toro is one of the great champions of the art form,” he declared, somehow managing to compress the Mexican maestro’s decades-long legacy into a single breath. Really, Bob? Tell us something we don’t know.
But here’s where things get interesting. Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” — starring Oscar Isaac (seriously, could there be more perfect casting?) and Jacob Elordi — isn’t just another monster flick gathering dust in Netflix’s upcoming slate. It’s the culmination of a 30-year obsession, a passion project that’s been simmering since del Toro first encountered Boris Karloff’s iconic performance at the tender age of seven.
Growing up in a strict Catholic household, young Guillermo found an unlikely savior in Frankenstein’s creature. “I felt I was being born into a world that was unforgiving,” he shared recently, his words heavy with childhood memory. “Where you either have to be a little white lamb or you were doomed.” Funny how some monsters end up being our greatest teachers.
The production details are deliciously fascinating. While paying homage to both Mary Shelley’s 1881 novel and James Whale’s 1931 film, del Toro’s bringing his signature touch of sublime madness to the mix. Oscar Isaac, in a brilliant stroke of method acting, studied Prince’s Super Bowl rehearsal footage to nail Victor Frankenstein’s particular blend of showmanship and artistic vision. Because… of course he did.
Netflix, meanwhile, seems to have learned from past successes. They’re rolling out “Frankenstein” with careful precision — theatrical release October 17, streaming November 7. It’s the same strategy that nabbed them their first animated feature Oscar with del Toro’s “Pinocchio.” Lightning might just strike twice here.
The timing of del Toro’s AFI Fest appointment feels especially significant as we approach 2025. He’ll be joining an illustrious lineup that includes Pedro Almodóvar, Greta Gerwig, and David Lynch — visionaries who’ve redefined cinema in their own unique ways. Though honestly? Del Toro’s been doing that his entire career, one beautiful monster at a time.
“It’s very Catholic because it’s coming from me,” del Toro noted about his take on “Frankenstein,” before diving into theological waters. “I’m interested in answering why did God have to send Jesus to be crucified.” Leave it to Guillermo to transform a monster movie into a meditation on divine grace — though anyone who’s seen “The Shape of Water” knows that’s exactly where his genius lies.
As Venice looms on the horizon and whispers of early screenings begin to circulate, there’s a palpable sense that this version of “Frankenstein” might be something extraordinary. After all, who better to breathe new life into cinema’s most famous creation than a filmmaker who’s spent decades proving that monsters aren’t just beautiful — they’re necessary?
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