Emotive reason Jacob Elordi was cast as Frankenstein’s Monster revealed by Guillermo del Toro as director also shares his family trauma

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Guillermo del Toro has always been fascinated by monsters, a theme that runs through his life growing up in Mexico and his thirty years working in Hollywood. He doesn’t see them as frightening, but as complex characters. This is evident in films like Pan’s Labyrinth, with its haunting Pale Man, and The Shape of Water, which earned him two Oscars (he won a third for his animated Pinocchio). Now, Del Toro is tackling the most famous monster of all: Frankenstein’s creature, in a captivating new adaptation starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi.

Guillermo del Toro discovered his love for monster stories at a young age. It began when he saw Boris Karloff’s performance as Frankenstein’s monster in the 1931 film – a moment he describes as a life-changing experience. Four years later, he found a Spanish copy of the novel in a supermarket, which he still owns. He shared this story at the Venice Film Festival, where his own version of Frankenstein premiered to great acclaim.

Now 61 years old, he’s been wanting to make this film his entire life – even before he first picked up a camera. He explains that certain classic characters deeply impacted him as a child, including the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Phantom of the Opera, Dr. Frankenstein, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Pinocchio. He considers these figures his core inspirations, explaining that he strongly relates to characters like the Hunchback, the Phantom, and the Creature, seeing parts of himself reflected in them. He believes we all create our identities by taking pieces of the world around us and combining them to form who we are.

He’s been a Frankenstein enthusiast his entire life, amassing a collection that includes a full-size sculpture of the creature created by designer Mike Hill, who worked on the original film. Guillermo del Toro, married to Kim Morgan since 2021, proudly displays these items in his living room. He jokes that it’s similar to seeing religious icons in a Catholic home – except his walls are adorned with monsters. It’s likely a playful rebellion against his strict Catholic upbringing.

Growing up in Guadalajara, I had a pretty great childhood, especially because my dad, Federico, won the lottery when I was little. He was a car dealer and always super careful with money, but that win changed everything. Two things really stuck with me. First, we started going to Disneyland every year – honestly, that had a huge impact on my imagination. But even bigger, someone told my dad that now that he had money, he should build a library. He bought tons of books – which, funny enough, he never actually read! But I did. I devoured them. It completely changed my life, honestly. It sparked my love for storytelling and, well, here I am, a total movie buff!

Guillermo del Toro extensively researched art and anatomy, using this knowledge as the foundation for his adaptation of Frankenstein, the classic tale of a scientist who irresponsibly creates life from a collection of body parts. Oscar Isaac plays the arrogant Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and Jacob Elordi, known for his roles in Saltburn and The Narrow Road to the Deep North, is ideally cast as the Creature – his 6’5” stature makes him physically powerful, but Elordi also conveys a sense of innocent wonder as the Creature experiences the world for the first time. Del Toro was particularly struck by Elordi’s eyes, immediately recognizing him as the perfect fit for the role.

This film is considered one of the most accurate portrayals of Shelley’s novel and is expected to be a strong contender for Oscars this year. However, director Guillermo del Toro sees it as exploring a larger theme: evolution. He explains that his earlier films often featured monsters as the ‘good guys’ and humans as the ‘bad guys.’ But his 2021 film, Nightmare Alley, made him question whether a protagonist could also be an antagonist. Frankenstein, he says, pushes this idea further: can the hero be the villain, and can a monster be a killer instead of just a victim?

Guillermo del Toro prefers to call his creations “creatures” rather than “monsters” because the term “monster” feels too human. He believes true monsters aren’t fictional; they’re the people who appear respectable but act terribly. He points to things like blind patriotism – where grand-sounding ideals are used to justify awful actions – and the dangers of relying too much on AI. He argues that constantly outsourcing our thinking to apps actually weakens our brains and isn’t beneficial in the long run.

Beyond the usual suspects like politicians and tech leaders, Guillermo del Toro has faced genuine hardship. In 1998, his father was kidnapped and a $1 million ransom was demanded. Del Toro was in a difficult financial situation, having lost money on his previous films, Mimic (1997) and Cronos (1992). Thankfully, his friend James Cameron, the director of Titanic, provided the funds to hire a hostage negotiator, who successfully secured Federico’s release after 72 days.

Honestly, even talking about it seems to really affect Guillermo del Toro. He says ever since his father was kidnapped, he’s dealt with a level of PTSD he just can’t shake – it’s a deeply physical reaction. He still loves visiting Mexico, even though he also lives in Toronto and Los Angeles, but he starts to feel anxious and short of breath pretty quickly, and has to leave. He actually says the kidnapping was the second most painful experience of his life – unbelievably, he thinks making the film Mimic was even worse! That movie caused a lot of conflict with Harvey Weinstein, who is now in prison, so it was a really difficult time for him.

After getting his start with Mimic, Guillermo del Toro really established himself in Hollywood. He’s smartly balanced big, blockbuster films like Blade II and Pacific Rim with smaller, more personal projects – think The Devil’s Backbone and his gorgeous 2015 gothic romance, Crimson Peak, which felt like a beautiful warm-up for a potential Frankenstein movie. Sure, there have been bumps in the road – like when he had to leave The Hobbit – but he’s one of those truly special directors who can bring his incredibly imaginative worlds to life on any scale.

It hasn’t been easy, though. Directing, he explains, requires a unique blend of creativity and toughness – being both an artist and a fighter. He dislikes the term ‘visionary,’ finding it pretentious. It’s not about dreamy inspiration, he says, but about hard work and overcoming obstacles – like hacking your way through a jungle. Though he jokes about his build, Del Toro has the energy of an athlete or explorer. He views filmmaking as a physically and mentally demanding job, not a passive, artistic exercise.

Since 2022, Guillermo del Toro has collaborated with Netflix on projects like Pinocchio and the anthology series Cabinet of Curiosities, and now Frankenstein. While the film will have a limited theatrical release, Del Toro isn’t worried that most viewers will watch it at home on smaller screens. He points out that he himself watched most classic monster movies as a child on television. He understands the current entertainment landscape, explaining, “You first create the film for those who fund it.” Del Toro emphasizes that regardless of the viewing format, the ambition and scope of the story itself should never be compromised.

Luckily for Guillermo del Toro, horror movies consistently draw audiences. He believes horror helps us make sense of the world, explaining, “Beauty can sometimes be overwhelming, but horror is freeing.” He also sees it as a great way to explore complex themes – whether it’s the philosophical ideas in David Cronenberg’s work, the social commentary in Jordan Peele’s films, or simply a well-made, frightening movie like Zach Cregger’s upcoming film, Weapons, which Del Toro loved.

With his series Frankenstein now released, Guillermo del Toro feels a mix of sadness and accomplishment. He remembers a conversation with his friend, director David Cronenberg, who advised him that the key to a lasting career is constantly challenging yourself with new and frightening projects. Following that advice, del Toro is now working on a gritty thriller called Fury, starring Oscar Isaac, and hopes to explore a different kind of darkness with this film.

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2025-10-28 03:55