Frankenstein’s Monster is one of the most popular horror characters ever created, second only to Dracula in terms of adaptations. While Dracula has appeared in over 100 films, the Creature from Mary Shelley’s novel has been featured in more than 50. Before Universal Studios launched its iconic monster franchise in 1931 with Frankenstein (following Dracula), the Creature had already appeared in two silent films. He continued to be a popular figure in sequels throughout the 1940s, then reappeared in films by Hammer Films in the 1950s, and has been reimagined in numerous movies ever since.
Some Frankenstein movies are truly brilliant, but others have been largely overlooked or simply weren’t very good, which has unfortunately damaged the image of this iconic horror creature.
7) Best: Frankenstein
The classic Frankenstein film rightfully remains one of the greatest monster movies ever made. As the second installment in Universal’s horror series—following Dracula—it, along with its titular monster, defined the studio’s horror productions for twenty years. Directed by James Whale, the film launched Boris Karloff to horror stardom as the Creature. However, it only covered a portion of Mary Shelley’s original story, concluding with the villagers pursuing and attempting to destroy the Creature.
Though initially shocking for scenes like the Creature’s accidental killing of a child and Dr. Frankenstein’s hubris, the film now seems mild. Nevertheless, it established the blueprint for future stories about the Creature. It’s still a deeply disturbing story about a being created with innocence, only to be cast out and ruined by a society afraid of anything unusual.
6) Terrible: Victor Frankenstein
The 2015 film Victor Frankenstein wasn’t a success with either audiences or critics. James McAvoy played Victor Frankenstein, and Daniel Radcliffe, known for Harry Potter, starred as his intelligent assistant, Igor Straussman. The movie focuses on the relationship between Victor and Igor, highlighting Igor’s expertise in using technology to help Victor create a being named Prometheus.
This retelling of the Frankenstein story centered on the friendship between Victor and Igor, but ultimately didn’t live up to its potential. While the actors were talented, the plot felt unoriginal and failed to capture the spirit of the classic tale. Critics generally disliked it, giving it a low 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and describing it as empty and disjointed.
5) Best: Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro reimagined the classic Frankenstein story in his 2025 film. His version offers a fresh perspective by letting the Creature narrate his own experiences, and it portrays Victor Frankenstein as someone destined for unhappiness long before the Creature’s arrival, suggesting his dreams were already unattainable.
Jacob Elordi gave a stunning performance as the Creature, and Oscar Isaac was strong as Frankenstein, a man driven by the desire to overcome death, but ultimately unable to achieve his goals. This Frankenstein film is also visually breathtaking, surpassing all previous installments, and Alexandre Desplat’s score perfectly complements the story. It’s easily one of the best Frankenstein movies ever made, even better than the classic Universal horror film.
4) Terrible: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro’s desire to create his own Frankenstein movie stemmed from both his affection for the original story and his dissatisfaction with the 1994 film, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Despite the impressive cast and crew – including director and star Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro, and screenwriter Frank Darabont – even Darabont expressed his disappointment with the final result.
Guillermo del Toro aimed to create a film that lived up to the quality of Frank Darabont’s original script, but he was disappointed with how the final movie turned out. Darabont felt the finished film didn’t capture the nuance and careful pacing of his writing. Many also questioned the casting of Robert De Niro as the Creature, and the film received generally negative reviews, earning a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
3) Best: Young Frankenstein
Mel Brooks, known for directing classics like Blazing Saddles, has a knack for turning serious stories into hilarious comedies. He did just that with Frankenstein, creating what many consider one of his greatest films. Young Frankenstein is often hailed as the best parody movie of all time. The film stars Gene Wilder (who also helped write the script with Brooks) as Victor Frankenstein and Peter Boyle (from Everybody Loves Raymond) as the Creature.
I really enjoyed the bold moves this movie makes. The friendship between the Creature and the elderly man – seriously, is that Gene Hackman?! I almost didn’t recognize him – was a great surprise. And who expects a full-blown song-and-dance number with top hats and canes to “Puttin’ On the Ritz”? It totally works, though! Critics seemed to agree, giving it a fantastic 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and calling it a wonderfully silly spoof, and rightly so – Gene Wilder is brilliant in it.
2) Terrible: I, Frankenstein
Despite not being a well-made film, it’s important to know that I, Frankenstein isn’t an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel. It’s actually based on a graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux. The movie isn’t about the creator, Victor Frankenstein, but about the Creature – called Adam in this version. He evolves into something of a modern superhero, fighting to prevent demons and villains from taking over the world.
Aaron Eckhart stars as Adam in the movie, and Bill Nighy plays the villain, Naberius, a powerful demon. Similar to the film Cowboys & Aliens, the movie doesn’t quite capture the excitement of the original comic books. The result is a disappointing and slow-paced fantasy film that doesn’t deliver enough action for its ambitious premise. In fact, it received a remarkably low 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the worst-reviewed Frankenstein-inspired movies ever made.
1) Best: Bride of Frankenstein
Many consider the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein to be the definitive Frankenstein movie and one of the greatest horror sequels ever made. The story builds on Mary Shelley’s original novel, where the Creature seeks a companion from his creator, Victor Frankenstein. While the first Frankenstein film didn’t focus on this key plot point, Bride of Frankenstein brought it back, with director James Whale and actor Boris Karloff reprising their roles.
The result was a brilliant film. Henry Frankenstein lived through the first movie, and in the sequel, the Creature finds him and forces him to work with a gloomy scientist named Dr. Pretorius. Together, they attempt to create a mate for the Creature, played by Elsa Lanchester in an uncredited role. When the new Bride rejects the Creature, the story comes full circle. He then allows Henry and Elizabeth to live happily, sacrificing himself, the Bride, and Pretorius by destroying the castle. It was a satisfying and definitive ending, and remains the most compelling Frankenstein story ever filmed.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Best Season 10 PvE Build in New World: Aeternum
- BTC PREDICTION. BTC cryptocurrency
- 10 Most Badass Moments From Arrow
- Silver Rate Forecast
- Dude Perfect The Hero Tour Popcorn Bucket at Regal Price & Release Date Explained
- Valheim coming to PS5 in 2026
- Battlefield 6 says “we are investigating” as server issues and ‘Connection Failed’ errors mount — Amazon’s ongoing AWS outages may be to blame
- BTC AUD PREDICTION. BTC cryptocurrency
- See Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco’s First Joint Appearance After Wedding
2025-10-25 20:41