In the business of entertainment, a breakthrough for one person could possibly be a loss for another person. Luck, timing, and many other factors play their roles in the lives of actors to land their favorite roles, and a similar thing happened to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
The Frankenstein movie has been one of the most frequently discussed projects by movie enthusiasts for years now. However, apart from its content, Frankenstein’s monster has been a hot topic, as two promising actors, Andrew Garfield and Jacob Elordi, have gone to and fro for the role.
Andrew Garfield Opens Up About Losing His Role to Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein
Frankenstein has been in the works by Guillermo del Toro since 2008. Although it is based on the novel by Mary Shelley, del Toro looks to give it his own touch. First, Andrew Garfield was going to portray Frankenstein’s monster, but after his exit, Jacob Elordi came into the picture.
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According to Deadline, Garfield’s schedule was disrupted by the Hollywood strikes, which made him leave the project. However, he has no regrets. As he spoke to Deadline, he confessed his disappointment but at the same time seemed to be looking forward to his substitute.
I was disappointed that I didn’t get to do it… But meeting Jacob Elordi felt serendipitous so that I could really see and hear that he maybe needed that experience more than me.
In the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Garfield made a funny remark about not having to do the heavy makeup for the role.
I didn’t have to sit six (or) seven hours in the prosthetics chair every morning. I want to see how (Elordi’s) skin is doing.
The casting of Jacob Elordi looks like another unconventional move that del Toro is fond of making. Elordi recently challenged himself with breakthrough roles in Saltburn and Priscilla, for which he got much-deserved praise.
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The final cast is star-studded, with Oscar Isaac being part of the film as Victor Frankenstein, along with Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, and Felix Kammerer, among others. That is a lineup that does not expect a conventional monster movie, especially with del Toro in the direction.
Guillermo del Toro’s Unique Vision for Frankenstein
From the very start, del Toro has been very vocal about not wanting to do a straightforward Frankenstein movie. Earlier in 2008 (via Slash Film), he said to ComingSoon,
I’m not doing Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. I’m doing an adventure story that involves the creature. I cannot say much, but it’s not the central creation story, I’m not worried about that.
According to Teen Vogue, Netflix bought the project in 2023, signing a multi-year cinematic deal with del Toro after the success of his Oscar-winning Pinocchio as well as Cabinet of Curiosities. In an interview with Collider, the director admitted that this film is the one that he has been dreaming of for 50 years but did not want to make until he had the proper means to do so.
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The production started in February 2024 and ended in September 2024 (via Edinburgh Live). Although Netflix has not revealed the release date, the film is expected to release in 2025. Del Toro has announced that although the movie will be a Netflix film, it will also have a traditional theatrical release.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Andrew Garfield leave Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and how does he feel about it?
Garfield was originally attached to play Frankenstein’s creature, but scheduling conflicts stemming from the 2023 SAG-AFTRA/Hollywood strikes forced him to exit, after which Jacob Elordi was cast. Garfield has said he holds no hard feelings: he admitted he was disappointed but called meeting Elordi ‘serendipitous,’ adding that Elordi ‘maybe needed that experience more’ than he did. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast he also joked that he avoided sitting six or seven hours in the prosthetics chair every morning.
Who stars in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein?
Jacob Elordi plays Frankenstein’s creature, with Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein. The cast also includes Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, and Felix Kammerer. Del Toro directs, adapting Mary Shelley’s novel in his own style; he has long described it as ‘an adventure story that involves the creature’ rather than a conventional monster movie.
When did del Toro’s Frankenstein come out, and where can people watch it?
Netflix acquired the project in 2023, and production ran from February to September 2024. The film had a limited US theatrical release on October 17, 2025 before its global Netflix premiere on November 7, 2025, so it can now be streamed on Netflix. Del Toro had said from the start that, although it is a Netflix film, it would also receive a traditional theatrical run.
