Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jessie Buckley Are Reuniting for a Twist on a Horror Classic

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! is one of the most ambitious films currently in production, with one of the most well-rounded casts in recent movie history.

Adapted from Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic novel Frankenstein, the movie will be released on September 26, 2025, where it will compete with the sixth edition of the horror film franchise Saw. The release date was moved to September from October 3 by Warner Bros., while also revealing the opening date of the final chapter in the Conjuring series: September 5, 2025.

The Bride! is Gyllenhaal’s second directorial project after the critically acclaimed Netflix drama The Lost Daughter, which was released in 2021. Her second film was also picked up by Netflix initially, but the streaming giant eventually pulled out to instead fund another Frankenstein project, helmed by Guillermo Del Toro. Gyllenhaal has penned the script for the film and is producing it along with Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Talia Kleinhendler, and Osnat Hendlesman-Keren. Carla Raij is attached as an executive producer.

The cast includes versatile A-lister Christian Bale playing Frankenstein’s monster, with the talented Jessie Buckley portraying the role of the monster’s bride. Penelope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Benning, Julianne Hough, John Magaro, Jeannie Berlin, and the director’s brother Jake Gyllenhaal are slated to appear in supporting roles. Cinematographer Lawrence Sher is attached, who is known for his collaboration with Todd Phillips on the Hangover series and Joker.

The Bride! is centered around a desolated Frankenstein’s attempt to find a companion, which takes him to 1930s Chicago. With the help of Dr. Euphronius, the monster is able to find a consort after the duo resurrects a dead young woman. However, the Bride turns out to be more than a handful, and what ensues causes a seismic change in the social scene in 1930s America.

Horror as a genre has been a gift that has kept on giving since the pandemic, with a slew of young and experienced directors consistently delivering new instant classics. Gyllenhaal has already proven her directing chops with her debut feature film, and the initial signs suggest that she is likely to leave her mark on this genre as well.