Sometimes, a movie’s vibes are so strong that you can imagine its world before you even really see it. This was the case with me and The Bride!, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s upcoming new take on the Bride of Frankenstein story.
I wasn’t lucky enough to see the early premiere of The Bride!‘s first trailer at this year’s CinemaCon, but descriptions of it and a few stray set photos from the film’s production had me hooked immediately. Today, the world finally got to see the teaser trailer… and it somehow exceeded my hype.
The footage previews a lot of things: the star-studded ensemble cast led by Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, the stunning practical makeup effects used to transform the pair into the iconic monsters, and a pretty detailed recreation of 1930s Chicago. But it also conveys so much of The Bride!‘s punk-rock energy, without really giving too much away.
There’s a mix of anarchy and melancholy in so many sequences, whether in the steampunk, wire-filled room where Buckley’s character is being reanimated, or in Bale’s Frankenstein beating up a group of catcalling men on the street. Some might feel echoes of 2023’s Poor Things (which itself is inspired by the Frankenstein mythos), but The Bride! still feels distinctly fresh on its own… which is impressive for a story that is so timeless.
‘Til death do they part
The Bride of Frankenstein’s mythos is… odd, to say the least. Her creation is essentially a short interlude of Mary Shelley’s original 1818 novel Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus, before Victor Frankenstein has a crisis of conscience and destroys her. Despite being the titular character, she doesn’t fare much better in 1935’s Bride of Frankenstein movie, only being reanimated in the movie’s final moments to (understandably) freak out about her new supposed suitor.
Even as these original stories only scratched the surface of her character, The Bride has become a cultural icon, with her giant bouffant of hair and overall aesthetic popping up everywhere. She has fared better in some modern Frankenstein remakes, and in stories set in other universes, with her most recently being a major player in the DCU’s Creature Commandos animated series. But there is still so much untapped potential with her, and what she can represent about agency and autonomy and consent.
Just based on this first trailer, The Bride! does seem to understand that, as Buckley’s character seems to revel in the bleak weirdness of her story. (The scene where she realizes she doesn’t have a name is particularly great.) And while I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some sort of inevitable heel turn from Bale’s Frankenstein, as there can be a lot of fun in leaning into the possessiveness of his character, I do like the notion of the two of them being Bonnie and Clyde-like lovers in this trailer.
According to Warner Bros.’ official synopsis for the film, in The Bride!, “a lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (five-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A wild and radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance!”
The Bride! will be released exclusively in theaters internationally on March 4, 2026, followed by a domestic release on March 6, 2026.
(featured image: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
