Netflix has released hundreds of movies over the last decade, but sadly, very few of them have been released on physical media. Thankfully, that won’t be the fate of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. The director responded to a fan on X to say that the deleted convent scene will be included in the physical media release of Frankenstein.
There’s no word on who will be releasing Frankenstein on physical media, but I would place my bets on The Criterion Collection. They’ve already released a handful of del Toro movies, including Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, Nightmare Alley, The Shape of Water, and Pinocchio. They’re also one of the few distributors to have previously released Netflix Originals. Roma, Beasts of No Nation, Uncut Gems, Okja, The Irishman, Marriage Story, Mudbound, and The Power of the Dog have all been released by Criterion. It’s very easy to see Frankenstein joining their ranks.
There are so many movies (and TV shows) on streaming services that are absolutely deserving of a physical media release, if only to preserve them, because you never know when they might disappear entirely.
What Did We Think of Frankenstein?
Our own Chris Bumbray caught Frankenstein at the Toronto International Film Festival, and while he said the film was impressive, it wasn’t quite the masterpiece he was hoping it would be. “While I can’t quite call this my favorite Frankenstein adaptation, I’ll admit the overly drawn-out first half tested my patience,” he wrote. “Still, once the movie finds its footing, the second half is close to brilliant. Even if it’s uneven and slow to start, it ultimately blossoms into something powerful, a film that demands to be seen. It may take longer than it should to arrive at its peak, but when it does, it’s a striking reminder of what happens when a filmmaker is granted the freedom to pursue an undiluted vision. Del Toro has earned that privilege, and the result, while imperfect, is still essential viewing.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.
As for what’s next for Del Toro, the director did tease one of his next projects several months ago, which would reunite him with Frankenstein star Oscar Isaac. “I’m writing a project to do with Oscar,” he said. “I’m writing it right now, and it’s called Fury, and essentially it’s going back to [the] sort of thriller aspects of Nightmare Alley — very cruel, very violent. Like My Dinner with Andre but [with] killing people after each course.“
Do you want to add Frankenstein to your physical media collection?
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Guillermo del Toro
