First Look at Christian Bale and more in ‘The Bride!’

This fresh take on the Frankenstein’s monster story comes courtesy of Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is making this her directorial follow-up to ‘The Lost Daughter’.

Christian Bale in 'The Bride!' Photo: Maggie Gyllenhaal's Instagram account.

Preview:

Maggie Gyllenhaal has offered a first look at Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley in ‘The Bride!’.
The new take on ‘Frankenstein’ is now in production.
Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening and Penélope Cruz co-star.

Much like fellow literary horror icon Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Dr. Frankenstein and the not-so-ethical doctor’s ill-fated creation are seemingly always the subject of adaptations for screens big and small.

The latest to try their hand at some fresh re-telling is Maggie Gyllenhaal, who proved she had great directorial chops to go along with her acting career when she made intense drama ‘The Lost Daughter’ in 2021 and it went on to score three Oscar nominations.

But ‘The Bride!’ (for that is the title her latest, exclamation point and all) should certainly prove to be something quite different from Gyllenhaal, and she’s now taken to Instagram to offer up first looks at stars Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley via the movie’s camera tests.

What’s the Story of ‘The Bride!’?

'The Bride!' Photo: Maggie Gyllenhaal's Instagram account.

Here is the logline for the movie: A lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aid of Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride (Buckley) is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police, and a wild and radical social movement.

The Bride

Not Yet RatedSep 26th, 2025

In the 1930s, a lonely Frankenstein travels to Chicago to seek the aid of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young... Read the Plot

Who Else is in ‘The Bride!’?

Jessie Buckley in 'The Bride!' Photo: Maggie Gyllenhaal's Instagram account.

Gyllenhaal’s cast also includes Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Julianne Hough and Penélope Cruz.

From the looks of this, Bale is going the typically committed route (we’re sure that’s prosthetics, though he’d probably agree to die and get stitched back together in the service of his art given half the chance) and Buckley’s look is also striking.

It’s a seemingly refreshing version of the ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ story, written by the director and picked up for distribution by Warner Bros. And that title –– whether or not it keeps the exclamation point –– indicates a solid role for Buckley, who did such great work in ‘The Lost Daughter’.

What else is happening in the world of Frankenstein?

Guillermo del Toro poses backstage with the Oscar® for Animated Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

As we noted at the start, the novel is one that is seemingly of endless fascination to creative types, who keep wanting to put their own spin on it. We can also expect a version from Guillermo del Toro, who has long wanted to tackle the story and has one in the works now for Netflix starring ‘Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi alongside Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz.