Guillermo del Toro is a mastermind of many things, and portraying strange creatures on the big screen is certainly one of them. Returning to his roots established in films like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, the director’s next project will be an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein. The film is being produced by Netflix and is expected to release in November of this year. Following the plot of the original monster horror book, Frankenstein will chronicle the story of a scientist who conducts a risky experiment to reanimate a stitched-together body.
Del Toro’s version of this story boasts an impressive cast including Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Ralph Ineson, Christoph Waltz, David Bradley, Charles Dance, and Burn Gorman, but one of the key players is the actor taking on the new version of Frankenstein’s monster: Jacob Elordi. Elordi has had a varied career since his big break in Euphoria several years back, taking on everything from Felix in Saltburn to music icon Elvis Presley in Priscilla. Now, Netflix has revealed the trailer for Frankenstein, and it gives the first look at Elordi.
Frankenstein’s Teaser Doesn’t Fully Reveal Jacob Elordi’s Monster & He’s Still Scary
His Physical Power Is Tangible
Though the book (and, by extension, the film) gets its name from the scientist at its core, one of the most memorable elements is the monster. As such, del Toro’s interpretation of the appearance of Frankenstein’s monster is highly anticipated, but, curiously, the Frankenstein trailer does not even fully reveal the creature. Instead, the trailer first shows Elordi in a silhouette in an icy landscape. Later, he is witnessed attacking people on a ship and calling out for Victor.
Andrew Garfield was initially attached to play the Monster, but he had to step away due to scheduling conflicts.
Though viewers cannot see his face, the monster’s final moments in the trailer are still chilling. For one, the physical power of Victor Frankenstein’s monstrosity is witnessed through the fact that he flips someone off of the boat after impaling him with a sphere. But it is his vocal performance that really could get under one’s skin, letting out an animalistic growl and then bellowing out a distorted “VICTOR.” With this voice, he does not have to be physically seen to be scary.
Why The Frankenstein Trailer Doesn’t Fully Reveal Jacob Elordi’s Monster Look
It Builds Suspense For Elordi’s Role
The Frankenstein trailer spends more time focusing on the horrific fact that Victor created the Monster, rather than showing the beast itself. This gives time to focus on the devolving psyche of Isaac’s character, who will be the lead and the grounding force of the main storyline. For this reason, it makes more sense to give Isaac greater screen time in this first clip.
This is also a highly effective tool, however, for building up the hype for The Monster. By not showing him, it creates even more suspense regarding the film, as his physical appearance can serve as a big reveal by the time the movie actually arrives on Netflix. It would be smart on the marketing team’s part to maintain this sense of mystery to keep up this suspense for audiences rather than spoil the surprise before the film arrives. Even his voice is compelling, so it does not in any way lessen the intrigue of Frankenstein, but in fact heightens the film’s potential impact.
Jacob Elordi Playing Frankenstein’s Monster Is Incredibly Exciting
This Will Be A New Kind Of Role For The Actor
This monster is an incredibly different kind of role for Elordi. He has played a lot of bad men —Euphoria’s Nate Jacobs being one of them — but never before has he taken on a non-human creature like this. The Monster is positioned as a cause of great fear in del Toro’s version of the story, and it will challenge Elordi to take on a new level of villainy. Already, the Saltburn actor shows a remarkable commitment to his character’s physicality when taking on the role, highlighting another great sign for Frankenstein.
