Entertainment
The Classic Monster Masterpiece That Inspired ‘The Bride!’ Comes Alive on March 1
Jessie Buckley is set to become The Bride! in Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s new reimagining of Frankenstein next week. To prepare yourself, you might want to watch Bride of Frankenstein, the 1935 horror movie that introduced the world to the monster’s better (or worse) half. If so, there’s good news: The Universal horror hit that just turned 90 is headed to a new streamer next month.
HBO Max will host Bride of Frankenstein starting on March 1, 2026. It’s a clever bit of cross-promotion, as the streamer’s corporate parent, Warner Bros., will release The Bride! in theaters a few days later. The film has Boris Karloff-sized shoes to fill; Bride of Frankenstein was directed by James Whale, who had already filmed Frankenstein, The Old Dark House, and The Invisible Man. Steeped in Christian imagery, raw emotion, and genuine horror, Bride of Frankenstein is generally considered to be the greatest of all the Universal Horror movies of the 1930s and 1940s, surpassing its predecessor. The fleeting but indelible image of the creature’s bride, swathed in bandages and with an electrified beehive hairdo, has become one of the most iconic sights in horror cinema.
What Is ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’ About?
Taking place after the explosive climax of 1931’s Frankenstein, both Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive, Dracula) and his creation (Karloff) have survived. Frankenstein is nursed back to health by his fiancée, Elizabeth (Valerie Hobson, Kind Hearts and Coronets), while the monster wanders the wilderness. Still believing he is destined to unlock the secrets of life and death, Henry visits his old mentor, Dr. Septimus Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger, Scrooge), who wishes to create a mate for Frankenstein’s monster. Although Frankenstein initially cooperates, he becomes increasingly unsettled by Pretorius’ madness; however, he’s press-ganged into assisting when Pretorius’ goons kidnap his now-wife. Soon, the female creature (Elsa Lanchester, who also plays Mary Shelley in a fictional prologue about a continuation of Frankenstein) is ready to be brought to life, but the creature may have some objections…
The making of the film and Whale’s later life were chronicled in the 1998 biopic Gods and Monsters, which starred Ian McKellen as Whale. It was written and directed by Bill Condon, who was attached to direct a remake of Bride of Frankenstein for the now-defunct Dark Universe.
The Bride of Frankenstein will stream on HBO Max starting on March 1, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
- Release Date
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April 22, 1935
- Runtime
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75minutes
- Director
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Bill Condon
- Writers
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David Koepp
