Guillermo Del Toro Originally Wanted Netflix's Frankenstein To Be Two Films, But I Think He Made The Right Choice To Keep It Solo

Guillermo del Toro has never been one to think small. The Oscar-winning filmmaker has spent over 30 years chasing his vision for the 2025 movie schedule release Frankenstein, a film he calls his cinematic “Mount Everest.” From his earliest sketches in the late 1970s to the Gothic imagery woven into Crimson Peak, Cronos and Hellboy, del Toro has long seen Shelley’s story as the centerpiece of his artistic DNA. Now the auteur filmmaker is revealing that his original plan for the upcoming Netflix release was to split the film into two parts, and honestly, I think he made the right choice not to do that.

Del Toro’s Original Frankenstein Plans

In a new interview with Variety, the Pan’s Labrynth visionary revealed that his original plan for the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation was to tell the tale from two different perspectives: one from Victor Frankenstein and the other from the Creature. Instead, he condensed the idea into a single feature with a “hinge moment” shortly after the monster’s creation, where the story shifts its focus from creator to creation. For a project this long in the making, that’s a bold revision, but one that ultimately feels right to me.

Why Frankenstein Works Best As A Single Film

The classic 1818 novel works as a single, sweeping narrative, mirroring the symbiotic bond between Victor and his “monster.” Stretching it across two films might have diluted the intensity of their tragic relationship. Shelley’s novel is concise, but devastating, as it’s a story about lineage, pain and generational failure. The genius behind The Shape of Water himself frames it as much a family drama as a creature feature. He explained:

By treating the flick as almost a biography of these characters as opposed to a straightforward horror film and keeping it contained, the Blade 2 filmmaker honors that intimacy.

It’s not like del Toro is cutting corners. From the first Frankenstein trailer and descriptions we’ve seen so far, this version of the story is packed with sprawling sets, operatic design and the director’s trademark devotion to practical effects. Del Toro described the monster’s creation sequence not as a horror vignette, but as something far cooler. He continued with Variety:

A rock-concert-like montage of the creature's animation sounds wildly different than anything we’ve gotten before. That sense of operatic momentum could easily stall if split into multiple films. A single feature ensures the story flows like one long, feverish symphony.

Even The Casting Lends Itself To A Single Film

The casting also underscores why one film is the right choice. Oscar Isaac’s Victor is envisioned as a Byronic rock star—seductive, swaggering and brimming with hubris—while Jacob Elordi’s Creature channels innocence, grief and rage. Their dynamic doesn’t need two separate films to land, as it instead thrives on a single, searing arc that burns bright and fast, like lightning hitting a lab tower.

Netflix is betting big on Frankenstein, with a three-week theatrical run beginning October 17 before the film arrives on streaming November 7. And given the streamer’s first theatrical hit, KPop Demon Hunters, and the Nightmare Alley director’s track record (The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth, even his Oscar-winning Pinocchio), there’s reason to believe Frankenstein could resonate with both genre fans and awards voters. But more importantly, the choice to keep it one film means the story won’t be bogged down by the franchise mentality that dominates so much of Hollywood. Which, for my money, explains the recent summer box office disappointment.

Instead of a half-finished story or obvious sequel bait, horror fans will get Guillermo del Toro’s complete vision in one raw, unbroken piece. I, for one, can’t wait.