Bride of Frankenstein Retelling Described As a ‘Wildly Romantic’ Musical

Maggie Gyllenhaal is bringing a singing and dancing Bride of Frankenstein to the big screen in The Bride!. The upcoming film is Gyllenhaal’s second directorial effort and serves as a retelling of the classic horror film, Bride of Frankenstein. During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Peter Sarsgaard, who stars in the upcoming movie and has been married to Gyllenhaal since 2009, teased a “punk” and “wildly romantic” adaptation, with “big dance numbers.” Well, that certainly sounds fun.

“‘The Bride’
is punk, and it’s fast and really emotional. Also, it’s violent at times and it’s wildly romantic.”

James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein premiered in 1935 and acted as the sequel to his 1931 film, Frankenstein. Bride of Frankenstein follows Henry Frankenstein as he is goaded by an even madder scientist, to build his monster a mate. Despite its standing as one of the best horror movies ever made, it’s exciting to learn that Gyllenhaal is taking some creative liberties for the reimagining. Check out the official synopsis for The Bride! below.

“A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police and a wild and radical social movement.”

Peter Sarsgaard Praises The Bride!’s Cast and Script

The Bride! boasts an impressive cast that includes Jessie Buckley, Sarsgaard, Gyllenhaal’s Dark Knight co-star Christian Bale (as Frankenstein’s monster), Penélope Cruz, and Annette Benning. Sarsgaard had nothing but praise for his co-stars, calling Bale a “phenomenal actor who has such devotion” and Buckley “the most abstract, random, free-flowing, in-the-moment actor you could ever work with,” who can sing and dance (“big time”). And that’s important, as Sarsgaard reveals that The Bride! will feature musical numbers.

“There are big dance numbers and stuff in the movie. I’m so happy with the way that Warner Bros. has supported Maggie on the movie, too. It’s nice to work with Pam Abdy over there who I worked with on
Garden State
back in the day. It’s a great studio that has artistically-minded people running it.”

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Sarsgaard also had high marks for the film’s script, which he says is the best one he’s ever read.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever read. To me, it’s both a big movie for adults and a big movie that’s for teenagers. It’s what everyone hopes for and tries to solve in making a big movie.”

Gyllenhaal, who is an acclaimed and Academy Award-nominated actress, impressed critics with her directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. The 2021 psychological drama earned three Academy Award nominations: Best Actress for Olivia Colman, Best Supporting Actress for Buckley, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Gyllenhaal. Given what is known about The Bride!, coupled with Gyllenhaal’s impressive resume, anticipation for the monster film only continues to grow.