The Bride Trailer: Jessie Buckley’s Resurrected Bride & Christian Bale’s Frankenstein Take On Mad Scientists, Detectives & Movie Stars In1930s Chicago

by

I’m so excited for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s new film, The Bride! It looks incredible – Jessie Buckley plays this Bride of Frankenstein who, after being tragically murdered, is rebuilding her life with a wild mix of crime, romance, and pure chaos. I can’t wait to see what she does with the role!

Warner Bros. just released a new trailer for The Bride, coming to IMAX on March 6, 2026. The film is inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the classic movie Bride of Frankenstein, but also features original ideas from writer, director, and producer Maggie Gyllenhaal. The trailer focuses on Frankie (Christian Bale) trying to bring someone back to life, and the new, unpredictable life of the Bride (Buckley). It also offers a better look at the performances of Annette Bening, Peter Sarsgaard, and Jake Gyllenhaal.

The recently released footage shows Bale’s Frankenstein and Bening’s Dr. Euphronius, a scientist, working together to resurrect a woman who was murdered, intending for her to be Frankenstein’s bride. The two then fall in love, but face opposition from a detective (Peter Sarsgaard), a famous actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), and the general public in 1930s Chicago, where they are branded as “monsters.”

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s reimagining of these characters includes notable thematic shifts, highlighted by the choice to refer to the character simply as “the Bride,” rather than “Bride of Frankenstein.” As Gyllenhaal explained during a Warner Bros. Q&A event (attended by ScreenRant’s Jordan Williams), the R-rated film The Bride! delves into the character’s immense strength, desires, fears, and newfound independence – a significant departure from the original 1935 movie where she never spoke.

Gyllenhaal describes Jessie Buckley’s portrayal of the Bride as a woman who felt unable to voice her thoughts and feelings before her death, but who returns as someone determined to be heard. The trailer for The Bride! suggests Buckley’s character awakens from the dead with no memory of her past, making the question of her identity a central part of the story.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Reveals Why Jessie Buckley & Christian Bale Were Perfect To Play The Bride & Frankenstein

Warner Bros. Pictures

As I started developing this new, more unhinged take on the Bride, it quickly became clear who had to play her: Jessie Buckley. I’d worked with her on my first film, The Lost Daughter, and already knew she had this incredible range and a certain something that just felt right for the role. Honestly, after writing the part, I felt like she was the only one who could truly become this iconic character.

Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone else in this role. I think what makes [Buckley] so brilliant is her understanding that everyone is incredibly complex – capable of both intense power and deep vulnerability. She really gets that people are smart and irrational, attractive and flawed – it’s all part of being human. And as an actress, she’s amazing at letting all those sides of a character show. That’s why I think so many people connect with her work. The Bride, the character I asked her to play, needs that full range of emotions to feel real.

Gyllenhaal explained why Christian Bale, his co-star in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, was perfect for the role of Frankenstein’s creation and a great match for Buckley. The director of The Bride! noted that Buckley and Bale share a special connection and are both exceptionally talented actors. He also said he cast Bale as Frank because he wanted to be ambitious and create something truly special with this film.

Christian and Jessie shared a truly deep and special connection. It’s that unexplainable chemistry you can’t predict, but I’ve always believed there are many talented actors, and a rare few who are truly brilliant. And those two are definitely among the brilliant ones—a key part of their skill is the ability to connect with another person and share genuine emotion.

Let me tell you, I really went for it with this role. I thought, ‘I wrote this, I get to choose!’ What’s the harm in asking? Rejection is something I can handle. So I started thinking, ‘Who is my Frankenstein?’ I went back to the original book, and what struck me was how sensitive and vulnerable the creature was – incredibly intelligent, too. Seriously, he taught himself French while hiding in a barn! I needed an actor who could embody all that, but also project a toughness. Because let’s be real, this monster does some pretty dark things – and honestly, I think we all have those parts of ourselves. I needed someone who could portray that monstrous side in a way that made it relatable, so we could watch and think, ‘Okay, I don’t go around hurting people, but I get that rage.’

Maggie Gyllenhaal Addresses Casting Her Brother & Husband In The Bride!

Maggie Gyllenhaal talked about choosing the actors for her new film, The Bride!, including why she cast her husband, Peter Sarsgaard, as a detective and her brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, as a movie star. It’s been over 20 years since the Gyllenhaal siblings worked together, last appearing together in the 2001 film Donnie Darko, where they played brother and sister. Maggie considered carefully whether casting Jake would be the best decision for their relationship.

I’d like to discuss the actors I worked with, particularly my husband and my brother. I really wanted the character of Wiles, played by Peter Sarsgaard, to be incredibly attractive, so I definitely asked my husband for his opinion [laughs]. Ultimately, I think Wiles is a complex character – he’s done questionable things, but he’s also a hero. I felt Peter was perfect at portraying that duality.

I asked my brother to be in the film quite late in the process. He plays a classic movie star within the movie, which meant a lot of extra work recreating that old Hollywood feel. I really thought hard about whether it would be right for our relationship, and ultimately I knew it was a perfect fit. It had been a long time since we worked together – probably since I was around 20, on ‘Donnie Darko.’ It was such a joy to collaborate with him again, and I often found myself laughing until I cried. I really loved the experience. While I enjoy working with all my actors, there’s obviously something extra special about working with family.

The director discussed casting Penelope Cruz, explaining he hadn’t seen her take on such a role before. He said Cruz’s character shifted between lighthearted comedy and very realistic scenes, but she handled it with ease. He made a similar observation about Annette Bening, who plays the unconventional, genius, and eccentric Dr. Euphronius in the film.

Although details about the story and characters of The Bride! are still being kept secret before its March release, excitement is building as we learn more about Maggie Gyllenhaal’s fresh, punk-rock inspired reimagining of Bride of Frankenstein.

Read More

2026-01-15 20:00