This week we get The Bride in theaters. It’s a stylish take on the world of Frankenstein from director Maggie Gyllenhaal, featuring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley. In honor of its release, this week’s binge looks at other classic takes on Frankenstein. Films appear in chronological order.

Frankenstein (1931)
About: This classic monster movie remains a favorite, even though the story has been told and re-told many times over the years. It features Boris Karloff in the lead role and comes from director James Whale. This is one of the classic monster tales.

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
About: This is the follow up to Whale’s original film. It comes four years later and also features Karloff in the lead. This is probably a good one to catch up on before we see the new take on the story of Frankenstein’s bride.

Young Frankenstein (1974)
About: Is this a serious exploration of the source material? It most certainly is not. But we have a few classic explorations of the Mary Shelley novel on this list. So, when you have a chance to praise and promote a classic Mel Brooks comedy, you should do it. This is a hilarious and fun take on the world and a classic in its own right.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
About: This is a modern take. It’s much darker than the James Whale film, coming from director Kenneth Branagh. It features Robert DeNiro in the role of Frankenstein’s Monster, and I remember it being quite striking when I first saw it as a freshmen in high school.

Frankenstein (2025)
About: This is the most recent, taking place just last Fall. It’s a vision of the story from Guillermo del Toro, which earned a host of Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. It also earned a nomination for Jacob Elordi as the Creature. It’s a fun and unique take on the world, and one worth streaming on Netflix.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.