Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! (2026) seeks to reimagine 1935's Bride of Frankenstein, which of course stems from Mary Shelley's famous novel, Frankenstein. While Bride of Frankenstein is undoubtedly a staple of Universal's monster movies, it's not without faults. Despite teasing the titular Bride, Elsa Lanchester's monster is only on-screen for a few minutes at the film's end. Let's also note that she doesn't speak, and her entire creation and destruction all hinge on a man's desire.
That's not to say these things aren't reflective of how many women felt in the 1930s. However, even in that light, Bride of Frankenstein feels more like a tragic commentary than anything else. To say the Bride deserves a more feminist story is an understatement. With The Bride! aiming to do just that upon its March 6, 2026, release, here are the best Bride of Frankenstein movies and retellings to watch before (or after), listed in order of release date. Find them on Tubi, HBO Max, and more.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Whether Bride of Frankenstein has aged well or not is up for debate; it's still the best place to start if you want context for The Bride!. Elsa Lanchester (who also plays Mary Shelley at the beginning of the film) cemented the Bride's iconic look and lives on in pop culture despite her limited screentime. It's undoubtedly a touchstone of cinema history that's worth watching at least once.
Boris Karloff imbues the Monster with the same sympathetic charm he mastered in Frankenstein (1931), while the film itself sits somewhere between a dark campy comedy and a gothic drama. If you appreciate the classic chills of Universal's other old Hollywood monster movies like Dracula (1931) and The Invisible Man (1933), then you'll like Bride of Frankenstein. Just don't think of it as a sweeping romance. Truthfully, it's anything but.
The Bride (1985)
Sporting a very similar title to Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride!, Franc Roddam's Bride of Frankenstein reimagining places the story firmly in romance territory, although it takes a little while to get there. Named Eva in this version of the story, the Bride's initial rejection of the Monster sends him fleeing into the countryside for some serious character development. Later, he returns to save Eva from the clutches of Baron Charles Frankenstein, her creator and captor, who seeks to control her and mold her into the perfect companion for himself.
While The Bride isn't perfect, it strives to deliver a more feminist version of the character. Eva strives for agency and refuses to be subservient. Sure, the narrative gets a bit meandering at times, but many would argue that The Bride is an underrated film deserving of a reappraisal. If you want a more feminist-leaning movie that still delivers on gothic atmosphere, give it a try for yourself.
Bride of Re-Animator (1990)
Brian Yuzna's Bride of Re-Animator is what you get when you mix comedy, Bride of Frankenstein, and H.P. Lovecraft's weird sci-fi together. Unlike its predecessor, Re-Animator (1985), which involves Dr. Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) reanimating the dead with a neon green serum, the sequel hammers home the Bride of Frankenstein parallels with West creating a woman from a variety of body parts, including the heart of his late girlfriend, and then bringing her back to life, much to her chagrin.
If you already know and love the first Re-Animator, then expect more of the same in the sequel. Bride of Re-Animator is delightfully gory, grotesque, and absolutely packed with dark humor. Combs leans deeper into parody territory, with West feeling even more like a caricature of the classic mad scientist archetype. Horror fans with a taste for B-movie flair will love this one, but if you have a weak stomach, look elsewhere.
Frankenhooker (1990)
Don't let the name fool you. Frankenhooker is actually a smart horror comedy with a strong feminist message. Bride of Frankenstein's more problematic elements, like a woman being created solely for a man's desire, get a campy, more in-your-face spotlight in Frankenhooker. Here, scientist Jeffrey Franken (James Lorinz) seeks to bring his late fiancée, Elizabeth Shelley (Patty Mullen), back to life using the body parts of sex workers. However, it's not long before we realize Jeffrey's motivations aren't to revive Elizabeth, but to mold her into a more desirable woman.
Some people label this movie "trash horror," but I call it a genuine masterpiece… in a B-movie kind of way. Frankenhooker knows exactly the type of movie it is. It embraces its low budget, wildly satirizes its characters, and, more importantly, doesn't shy away from over-the-top practical effects. Director Frank Henenlotter is known for Basket Case (1982) and Brain Damage (1988). He is a master of B-movie schlock, and personally, I think Frankenhooker is the best of the lot.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
Hi! Hello! If you're looking for the most faithful screen adaptation of the novel, then meet Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, this 123-minute movie has its Monster (Robert De Niro) match the intelligence and physical appearance that Shelley described on page. The end also introduces a version of Elizabeth as the Bride (Helena Bonham Carter), which marks one of the film's biggest departures from the book.
In Shelley's story, Victor never brings the Monster's female counterpart to life, but here, the Bride returns as a horrific, stitched-up shell of the person she was before. It's a bit darker than Bride of Frankenstein, with this reanimated version of Elizabeth feeling ripped from Pet Sematary (1989) than the Universal classic. Personally, this is my favorite Frankenstein movie to date. (A big apology to Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein!)
Bride of Chucky (1998)
Bride of Chucky might not steer quite as close to the source material as the other entries on this list. However, it undoubtedly shares thematic DNA with Bride of Frankenstein—and it makes sure you know it. From the Universal movie playing on TV when Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) takes a bath to her later quoting the famous "We belong dead" line, Bride of Frankenstein remains near and dear to Bride of Chucky's core.
Chucky (Brad Dourif), of course, reanimates his ex-girlfriend into a doll, and together, they wreak havoc. Their romance is toxic and dysfunctional, and in this movie, Tiffany grows to resent Chucky, ultimately reaching the same conclusion that the Monster did in Frankenstein's final moments: they're better off dead. If you like self-referential horror comedies, like Scream (1996) and The Cabin in the Woods (2012), then you'll dig what Bride of Chucky puts down. Just expect the usual vulgarities and gore that made the Child's Play franchise famous.
Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)
Penny Dreadful's three seasons make it more of a commitment than the other entries on this list, but for fans of gothic horror, it's well worth it. Those looking specifically for the Bride of Frankenstein story will have to wait until Season 2, when Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) reanimates Brona Croft (Billie Piper) into a female companion for his Monster. Like previous incarnations of the Bride, Croft, now known as Lily Frankenstein, rejects her partner, but Penny Dreadful adds a twist.
This time, the Bride becomes a complex antagonist and even a vigilante in some ways as she seeks vengeance against abusive men. It's complicated, and it's dark, but that's precisely the type of show Penny Dreadful is. This series puts unique spins on famous gothic literary characters and beckons you along for the ride. It's perfect for people who like similar mash-ups like Grimm (2011) or the haunting, gothic worlds in series like Interview with the Vampire (2022).
