Martin Scorsese Highly Praises Guillermo Del Toro's Netflix Monster Movie As "Grand Opera"
Netflix's hit new adaptation of Frankenstein receives a glowing review from none other than Martin Scorsese. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water), 2025's Frankenstein is a rich and visually stunning take on Mary Shelley's classic, starring Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as The Monster. Scorsese is a similarly acclaimed director (though he has been in the industry for longer), known for epic crime masterpieces such as Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman, and more. Scorsese won his Oscar for directing 2007's The Departed, and a strong review from him is one of the best seals of approval a new movie can hope for. Scorsese participated in a discussion with del Toro, Isaac, and Elordi, as well as production designer Tamara Deverell and costume designer Kate Hawley, about the making of Frankenstein (via Still Watching Netflix). "I actually dreamed of it [Frankenstein]," says Scorsese. "It's a remarkable work. The film stays with you. It just stays with you. It's very moving. A remarkable feat. Grand opera."
The Creature dressed in fur in Frankenstein
Many people agree with Scorsese, with Frankenstein gaining more traction as an epic adaptation of the story, which inspired much of del Toro's corpus, from The Shape of Water to Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. Frankenstein is an essential culmination of del Toro's career, a movie he has been wanting to make for a long time. Frankenstein also stars Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Charles Dance, and Ralph Ineson. It has its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in August 2025, before starting its awards-qualifying theatrical run on October 17 and then debuting globally on Netflix on November 7. Frankenstein is becoming an increasingly likely 2026 Best Picture Oscar nominee, as Netflix's strongest contender of the season. Elordi is a possible Best Supporting Actor nominee, though not as guaranteed as Sean Penn for One Battle After Another, Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value, and Paul Mescal for Hamnet. Frankenstein is also a shoo-in for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. Moreover, Frankenstein already secured five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture, Drama and Best Director, and has been a huge hit on streaming since it became available on Netflix's platform. But Scorsese's endorsement could further strengthen its standing as awards season continues with the Golden Globes ceremony and the Oscar nominations announcement.
Release Date
October 17, 2025
Runtime
149 Minutes
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Writers
Guillermo del Toro, Mary Shelley
Producers
J. Miles Dale, Guillermo del Toro, Scott Stuber
