Frankenstein in Film
With the newest adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic story releasing this week, I felt this was a good time to take a look at the history of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster on the big screen throughout the years.
Frankenstein (1931) - Though it wasn’t the first film adaptation of the character, it certainly is the most well known. The Universal Pictures film was one of the first big successes in the monster horror genre and a lot of it’s imagery of the various characters is still used today, including the idea of a mad scientist, the physical portrayal of the creature, and a hunch-backed lab assistant. The film stars Boris Karloff as the creature, a role he would reprise & Colin Clive as Dr. Henry Frankenstein. The film was followed in 1935 by ‘Bride of Frankenstein,’ a direct continuation that added Elsa Lanchester as the Bride.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) - I’m skipping over a handful more of Universal’s Frankenstein films to take us to this film, that would become iconic for many reasons. The film was extremely well received and led to the comedy duo of Abbott & Costello meeting several more monsters down the road. The film features Bela Lugosi as Dracula, Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man, and Vincent Price as the Invisible Man, with Glenn Strange taking on the role of the Monster. The film is considered one of the funniest in American history and was added to the National Film Registry in 2001.
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - This film came from Hammer Film Productions, and was the first of their Frankenstein movies. It starred Peter Cushing as Victor and Christopher Lee as the Creature, becoming a real breakthrough for both actors. The film’s success led to Hammer producing several more horror films such as ‘Dracula’ and ‘The Mummy,’ with Lee playing both titular characters and Cushing appearing as the human protagonist of both.
Frankenstein vs. Baragon (or Frankenstein Conquers the World) (1965) - An international collab between the US and Japan, this film was made by Toho, most well known for their ‘Godzilla’ and other kaiju films. The films takes Frankenstein’s monster and exports him to Japan where he rapidly grows in size and faces off against another giant monster, Baragon. Koji Furuhata is the man behind the monster and was followed up by ‘The War of the Gargantuans.’
Young Frankenstein (1974) - One of Mel Brooks’ most popular films, this comedy film focuses on the grandson of Victor Frankenstein, Frederick (Gene Wilder), who wants to distance himself from his family legacy. At least for a little while. He falls back into his family’s old ways and makes a monster, played by Danny Boyle. It also features Marty Feldman as Igor, in one of the most well known portrayals of the character. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - No, this really isn’t an adaptation of Frankenstein, but it does obviously take inspiration from the story. The most obvious nod is in the character of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played by Tim Curry is his film debut, and his creation Rocky, played by Peter Hinwood. This film really is the epitome of a cult classic, with frequent rerelease in theater and a whole community surrounding the film.
Weird Science (1985) - In this John Hughes’ teen comedy, the two leads, played by Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith, take direct inspiration from the 1931 film. They make their dream woman in a computer and a power surge leads to her coming to life, played by Kelly LeBrock. Again, not really a Frankenstein adaptation, but felt like it was at least worth mentioning.
The Monster Squad (1987) - Featuring several of the classic horror villains, this movie was a box office bust but would become a cult classic. Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Mummy, and Frankenstein’s monster all appear, with the last of these played by Tom Noonan.
The Addams Family (1991) - You can take whichever adaptation of this family you want, I’m going with the 1991 film. One of the key members of the family is Lurch, their butler who has a Frankenstein’s monster-like appearance and personality.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) - From director Kenneth Branagh, this film tried to be a more faithful adaptation of the book, though it does still feature some alterations. Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, this film stars Branagh as Victor and the legendary Robert De Niro as the Creature. Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Ian Holm, and John Cleese also all appear. It was nominated for Best Makeup at the Oscars and received several nominations at the Saturn Awards.
Van Helsing (2004) - Another film that features an ensemble of monsters, it pays a lot of homage to the classic Universal Monsters. Hugh Jackman plays the titular monster hunter with characters like Dracula, Igor, Victor Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde all appearing. Frankenstein’s Monster is played by Shuler Hensley and is portrayed as a very intelligent being.
Igor (2008) - Now we don’t get a direct reference to Dr. Frankenstein in this animated film which focuses on his lab assistant, voiced by John Cusack. The character based on the Creature, Eva, is voiced by Molly Shannon and becomes a love interest for Igor. The voices of Steve Buscemi, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jennifer Coolidge, Jay Leno, John Cleese, and Arsenio Hall are also featured.
Frankenweenie (2012) - The second of our three animated film run, this film was made by Tim Burton and is based on the 1984 film, also made by Tim Burton. I decided to go with the more recent film version. Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, it stars Charlie Kahan as Victor Frankenstein, a young boy who reanimates his dog. Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short play Victor’s parents, with Martin Landau, Atticus Shaffer, and Winona Ryder also appearing.
Hotel Transylvania (2012) - A 2012 animated film that would kick off a franchise inclusive of four films and a television series, the main character of this franchise is Dracula, voiced by Adam Sandler. It features the usual suspects of monsters as his friends, namely Frank, voiced by Kevin James in the first three films.
I, Frankenstein (2014) - A film that was a bomb both critically & commercially, this is based on a graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux. It follows the Creature living his immortal life after the death of Victor, living into the modern day. He teams up with a group of gargoyles to fend off demons from the human world. Dubbed ‘Adam’ the character is played by Aaron Eckhart and was definitely meant to set up a franchise before it busted.
Victor Frankenstein (2015) - Another film told from the perspective of Igor (Daniel Radcliffe), this tells about the origin and scientific pursuits of Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy). Prototypes of the Creature appear, but the story is much more focused on the Victor, Igor, and the relationship between the two.
The Munsters (2022) - Based on the ‘60s television series, this film was written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. It features the iconic Munsters family, including patriarch Herman, who resembles the classic Universal Frankenstein’s monster and is played in this film by Jeff Daniel Phillips.
Lisa Frankenstein (2024) - In the directorial debut of Zelda Williams, this horror rom com stars Kathryn Newton as Lisa, a girl struggling with the murder of her mother. More of a zombie movie than a Frankenstein story, Cole Sprouse plays The Creature, a Victorian man reanimated in his grave by a bolt of lightning, eventually falling in love with Lisa.
Frankenstein (2025) - An extremely topical film right now due its nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, this 2025 film was directed by Guillermo del Toro and is a semi-accurate adaptation. Oscar Isaac stars as Victor with Jacob Elordi playing the Creature in an Oscar-nominated role. It debuted straight to Netflix and is considered one of the best films of 2025.
The Bride! (2026) - And the final entry is the most recent, releasing this week in theaters! Starring Christian Bale as the Creature, the film centers on the Bride, played by Jessie Buckley. The two strike up a relationship and seemingly fall into a life of crime and social change. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, the film is one of the most anticipated early films of 2026 and I’ll be dropping a review shortly after release!
