2025 has been a banner year for the horror genre, with many titles exceeding expectations and becoming some of the biggest films of the year. Sinners is receiving significant awards buzz after its successful box office run. Final Destination Bloodlines and The Conjuring: Last Rites broke records for their respective franchises, setting the stage for further installments. Weapons rode waves of positive buzz and dominated theaters at the end of summer. It’s been a bountiful year for horror fans already, but the fall brought about yet another anticipated title from a fan-favorite director that has wasted no time in making a huge splash on streaming.
Videos by ComicBook.com
After playing in a limited theatrical run, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is now available to stream on Netflix. It premiered on the streamer on Friday, November 7th. According to FlixPatrol, which measures the popularity of titles on various streaming services, Frankenstein is the No. 1 movie on Netflix worldwide and in the United States. Based on FlixPatrol’s metrics, it has a significant lead over the No. 2 film, controversial political thriller A House of Dynamite.
Frankenstein Has Impressed Audiences and Critics
Frankenstein was a passion project for del Toro, who dreamed of adapting Mary Shelley’s classic novel for years. Finally getting the opportunity, the wait for the director’s take on the famous story seems to have been well worth it. Not only is Frankenstein a hit with viewers on streaming, it’s also been earning positive buzz since its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival earlier in the year. While Frankenstein isn’t as universally acclaimed as some of del Toro’s other works, critics have largely enjoyed the film, praising the lavish production design and emotionally resonant narrative that explores the dynamic between Victor Frankenstein and his creation.
The response to Frankenstein has positioned the film as one of Netflix’s biggest awards contenders this year. It arguably is the streamer’s best chance at a Best Picture nomination considering del Toro’s history with the Academy (he’s a previous winner for The Shape of Water and Pinocchio) and the passion for the craft that went into making the film. Star Jacob Elordi could also be in the running for a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance as The Creature, which has earned widespread praise for being the heart of Frankenstein. As awards season heats up, the word of mouth should keep Frankenstein near the top of the Netflix charts for the foreseeable future.
Frankenstein continues what’s been a lucrative partnership between del Toro and Netflix. In addition to spearheading multiple TV series for the streamer, del Toro has now made two consecutive feature films for Netflix. The first was the aforementioned Pinocchio, which earned the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Unsurprisingly, there are already plans in place for del Toro to direct another movie at Netflix: an adaptation of The Buried Giant. Del Toro’s collaborations with Netflix are examples of auteurs working with streamers (where box office success isn’t a priority) to realize desired projects. Similarly, David Fincher’s last few films have been for Netflix, and Martin Scorsese has worked with different streamers to get The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon off the ground. Del Toro’s time with Netflix has proven to be fruitful, so there’s no reason to think it won’t continue for many more years to come.
The immediate success of Frankenstein on streaming suggests Netflix could have found success giving it a wider theatrical release. Del Toro is a popular filmmaker and there was much excitement for Frankenstein, so there likely would have been an audience for it if it had a more traditional nationwide run. Recently, Netflix has shown a willingness to work with theaters for select titles (Kpop Demon Hunters; the IMAX release of Narnia next year), so perhaps The Buried Giant will get a more extended play whenever it’s ready to hit theaters. Del Toro has always been a master at crafting intricately designed worlds to immerse audiences, so everyone deserves a chance to see his films on the big screen before streaming them at hom.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
image courtesy of 20th Century Studios -
Image courtesy of Prokino Filmverleih
