If you’ve already been taken by Guillermo del Toro‘s breathtaking adaptation of Frankenstein, you might be eager to dive deeper into the themes of the film that have been prevalent in cinema for nearly a century. Or, perhaps you’ve been taken by the exceptional ensemble of Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christoph Waltz and might want to explore their personal body of work. No matter why you made it here, the film has inspired inquiring minds for more.
With so many Frankenstein-inspired films to choose from, we’ve found some unique options that range from the original through to the 21st century. Isaac and Elordi’s performances were so alarmingly solid that their previous films might fit the urge for more. Then, there are just those brilliant creature features that don’t need to be viewed only during October. These films might inspire you to build your own cinematic binge-watching monster!
1
‘Ex Machina’ (2014)
Ex Machina is our Oscar Isaac entry for this list. Before playing the mad scientist, Isaac took on Nathan Bateman, the CEO of Blue Book, who invites his programmer, Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), to administer the Turing test to an intelligent female humanoid robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander). During the evaluation, Caleb develops feelings for Ava and becomes suspicious of Nathan’s true intentions, ultimately leading Ava to make a manipulative escape attempt. Ex Machina is a cyber-modern exploration of Frankenstein themes through a super-sleek scientific dystopia.
Directed by Alex Garland, Ex Machina was a severely underrated film despite the gripping script and extraordinary visual effects. It’s a breathtakingly polished piece of cinema, highly intellectual, making it a cerebral psychological thriller. In a sense, it was ahead of its time, both in theme and the brilliance of casting Isaac and Gleason. Perhaps you might want to avoid the film if you fear AI and how it may manipulate us. But if you’re willing to see where the future might go, Ex Machina fulfills the fantasy.
2
‘Saltburn’ (2023)
Chances are, if you’re seeking out Saltburn, it must mean you’re eager for more Jacob Elordi. And I absolutely do not blame you! The 2023 film took the world by storm for its thrills and twists. Oh, and that “Murder On the Dance Floor” moment. For the uninitiated, Emerald Fennell’s black comedy follows Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) and his infatuation with popular, aristocratic student Felix Catton (Elordi). Felix invites him to spend the summer at his eccentric family’s estate, only for the truth to unravel in utterly fascinating form. With a fixation on excess and obsession, Saltburn builds a world in which class, power, and sex all collide in an erotic thriller.
Through Fennell’s artistic eye, she honors classic films of the past while incorporating her own vision, certain to inspire future filmmakers and writers. From an ensemble perspective, there is not a single weak link. In fact, they each become an important cog in the wheel, completing something that spins your head around. Elordi sheds his Euphoria skin for a revelatory performance. Saltburn is a film that requires you to laugh out of discomfort, but that’s the point.
3
‘Wolf Man’ (2025)
We almost had a resurgence of the Universal monsters, and then Leigh Whannell‘s poorly conceived Wolf Man flopped, careening the potential revival into a wall. And for that, Wolf Man is necessary viewing to understand what went wrong. In this version of the story, Blake Lovell (Christopher Abbott), a family man with a traumatic past, learns that he has inherited his father’s cabin after he was pronounced dead. Upon heading up the woods, Blake seeks to protect his wife and daughter, Charlotte (Julia Garner) and Ginger (Matilda Firth), from a werewolf, only to become infected and slowly transform into the creature. Focusing on a psychological approach as opposed to a strict horror, Wolf Man took major liberties in hopes of standing out from the pack.
The film features a trio of good performers despite the script’s difficulty. Though if you’ve already witnessed Garner’s foray into horror through Weapons, you’ll be sorely disappointed as she is forced into a damsel-in-distress part. For his part, Abbott does all he can with the bizarre transformation into the werewolf, but it’s overshadowed by the director’s mission. The film delved deeply into trauma in various ways. Once COVID-19 ideals were pushed in, the film became something it was never meant to be. We were fearful of those days of confinement. We wanted a moment of escapism when seeing Wolf Man, not a commentary on those dark times by reliving it in wasted opportunity. All this being said, Wolf Man is an experience worth having.
4
‘The Mist’ (2007)
It’s no secret that Hollywood loves to bring Stephen King‘s novels to life. Whether they’re a hit or a miss, audiences are destined to watch. 27 years after it first hit bookshelves, the film adaptation of The Mist came to cinemas. The terrifyingly tense film follows a group of people in the small town of Bridgton, Maine, who become trapped inside a supermarket after a mysterious mist envelops the town, concealing deadly, Lovecraftian creatures. As fear and paranoia spread, tensions rise among the survivors. At its core, the Frank Darabont-directed thriller touches upon how humanity and morality come under fire when ordinary people are forced into extreme circumstances.
There’s enough psychological warfare to keep you engrossed, thanks to the top-notch cast. A true ensemble piece, The Mist features the likes of Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, and Andre Braugher, who encapsulate the fear and anxiety of their circumstances. Unlike other King killers, it’s not a gore-fest, making it a bit more palatable and more impactful when the blood starts spewing. As more dominant horror films emerged in the years that followed, The Mist has become severely underrated.
5
‘The Shape of Water’ (2017)
Needless to say, Guillermo del Toro is something of a genius. A dark romantic fantasy film about a woman who falls for a humanoid amphibious creature sounds outlandish. And yet, del Toro’s dedication and care in crafting something hauntingly beautiful speaks volumes about his artistry. In hopes of minimizing the story into something silly-sounding, let’s discuss the plot. Set in 1960s Baltimore, Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute cleaner at a high-security government laboratory, forms a unique bond with a mysterious creature (Doug Jones), communicating with him through music and sign language. Her growing adoration for him causes her to rescue him before he is killed.
Through a commentary on xenophobia and the fear of those who are different, The Shape of Water is a rich romance that defies genre. Visually, del Toro’s distinct vision is breathtaking, captivating the viewer with an emotionally absorbing narrative. Now, to the brilliant performances del Toro pulls out. Hawkins’ performance is the best of her career, perhaps until 2025’s terrifying Bring Her Back. It’s no wonder she was nominated for an Oscar. Jones as The Amphibian Man truly understood the humanity in the monster. From there, Michael Shannon and Octavia Spencer were consistently solid as always. Overall, The Shape of Water is a remarkable film that deserves much adoration.
6
‘Cloverfield’ (2008)
The early 2000s gave us a wildly popular cinematic trend: found-footage films. After The Blair Witch Project, every director hoped to capitalize on the style while still putting their stamp on the genre. With the backing of J. J. Abrams, Matt Reeves took Drew Goddard‘s script and did the unthinkable: created a brilliant and terrifying monster film. Cloverfield follows a group of friends trying to survive and rescue one of their own during a mysterious and destructive attack on New York City. The story is told from the perspective of a handheld camcorder documenting their attempts to navigate the chaos and escape the city as a gigantic creature wreaks havoc. Through the shaky cam and realistic acting, Cloverfield tapped into our every fear should a colossal monster tear our world apart.
The ensemble cast, which features the likes of T.J. Miller, Lizzy Caplan, Odette Yustman, and Michael Stahl-David, among others, captures the pure terror with ease. With a stylistically clever direction, Cloverfield set itself apart from other similar films by not bowing down to cheap gags. The horror was authentic and chilling. It’s intensely claustrophobic, contributing to the utter fear of the situation. Cloverfield became a unique monster smash because of its originality, launching a franchise of its own. Now, in a post-9/11 world, the catastrophic film set in New York may have been a bridge too far, but the more removed we become from that fateful day, there’s still something evocative and effective.
7
‘Young Frankenstein’ (1974)
If you need a comedy break that still gives you the Frankenstein story, look no further than Mel Brooks‘ greatest comedy, Young Frankenstein. Playing upon the source material, the film is a riff on the monster smash in which Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder), a scientist with an affinity for brains, returns to Transylvania after inheriting the family castle. Pushed into continuing the family business, Dr. Frankenstein, with the help of hunchback Igor (Marty Feldman) and his leggy lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr), builds a monster of his own that puts on the ritz.
A film that’s been passed down from generation to generation, Young Frankenstein not only pays homage to the original by filming in black and white, but also establishes a further cinematic universe while still standing out as a singular film. Blending moments of horror throughout the abundance of jokes, jabs, and puns, Brooks’ exceptional brain provides non-stop laughs from start to finish. Young Frankenstein featured a brilliant cast with many of Brooks’ staple collaborators, each knowing his shorthand to bring out the best in all. Since its debut, the film’s legacy is unfathomable. From inspiring Aerosmith‘s “Walk This Way” to a Broadway musical to an upcoming FX pilot, Young Frankenstein is fun for the entire family. If you haven’t seen it, you’ll love it. If you have, then you’re definitely like me, and it’s probably viewing number 100.
8
‘The Invisible Man’ (2020)
The original story of The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells was always a fascinating one. It’s been adapted multiple times over the decades. Then, in 2020, Leigh Whannell introduced his adaptation to the world, and everything that came before became obsolete. This iteration of The Invisible Man is perfect. In this version, Cecilia “Cee” Kass (Elisabeth Moss) escapes an abusive relationship with Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a wealthy tech entrepreneur, only to suspect he has faked his death and is using an advanced invisibility suit to terrorize her. Drawing on extraordinary technological developments and themes of gaslighting, abuse, and control in modern relationships, The Invisible Man has been modernized to perfection.
The genre-bending psychological horror is genuinely a substantial film with a powerful performance by Moss and clever direction by Whannell. Moss is an excellent leading scream queen, thanks in part to the truly terrifying villain portrayed by Jackson-Cohen. It’s hauntingly scary how well he portrays a man who can meld minds with ease. The emotional stakes are high as Cee endures the agony. Maybe we have our own invisible man still haunting us, making the film hit home even harder.
9
‘Poor Things’ (2023)
One day, we’ll be able to study Yorgos Lanthimos‘ truly fascinating brain to understand how he develops his brilliant artistry. Until then, we have a film about a brain to turn to. In Poor Things, Lanthimos is back in action with his cinematic muse, Emma Stone, as she plays Bella Baxter, a young woman in Victorian London who is brought back to life following a brain transplant. Only, her resurrection is thanks to the brain of her unborn child. The story builds on her rapid development as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, exploring the world, sexuality, and social conventions, free from the shame and prejudice of her time. A coming-of-age story unlike anything we’ve seen before, Poor Things is Lanthimos at his best. A modern exploration of the Frankenstein themes, Poor Things is a darkly whimsical and entertainingly humorous story that speaks to social commentary on patriarchy, sexual politics, and the constraints placed upon women.
Through a modern lens set against a vintage backdrop, Poor Things keeps you wildly entertained while you ponder the underlying conversations. Behind Stone, the film has a standout ensemble including Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, and Margaret Qualley. Their exquisite performances help to build a brilliant world in Lanthinos’ bizarre sandbox. It’s hilariously fearless and boldly original. If you enjoy things a little out of the ordinary, yet smartly toeing the line of mainstream cinema, Poor Things will be right up your alley.
10
‘Frankenstein’ (1931)
It’s the film where it all began. Had it not been for the forever iconic 1931 Frankenstein, the way we consume creature features might be drastically different. Through an iconic image, the original Universal monster brought Mary Shelley‘s creature to prominence. Starring Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein and Boris Karloff as The Monster, the horror film was as terrifying as it was fascinating. Putting the mad scientist with a hunchback lab assistant trope on the map, Frankenstein aroused the desire for characters that pushed the bounds of our imaginations. Even with an abundance of sequels, remakes, parodies, and more, everyone draws upon this film.
Noted for its profound makeup work and artistry, the film was ahead of its time. Looking back as a classic black and white piece, the cinematography is quite splendid. It’s still unnerving for a first watch thanks to Karloff’s utterly terrifyingly frightening performance. Again, we watch modern performances of The Monster with Karloff’s influence at the top of our minds. Of course, we wouldn’t have “It’s alive!” had it not been for this film. Whether you’re a ciniphile or just curious about the origins of the most recognizable monster, Frankenstein is required viewing. I promise you, you’ll be changed for the better.
Frankenstein
- Release Date
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November 21, 1931
- Runtime
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70 Minutes
- Director
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James Whale
- Writers
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John L. Balderston, Mary Shelley, Peggy Webling, Garrett Fort, Francis Edward Faragoh, Richard Schayer
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