Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated reimagining of Frankenstein has faced unexpected hurdles after Andrew Garfield exited the project due to scheduling conflicts, leaving only nine weeks before filming to refashion one of horror’s most iconic characters. Originally, del Toro and his makeup artist Mike Hill spent nine months crafting the monster’s appearance, tailored specifically to Garfield.
With Garfield’s sudden departure, del Toro had to quickly recast the role, bringing in Jacob Elordi under intense time pressure to redefine the creature’s look and persona before production commenced.
Director Praises Jacob Elordi’s Unmatched Fit for the Role
Del Toro expressed how the transition from Garfield to Elordi, though abrupt, felt surprisingly seamless. He told Vanity Fair:
“Andrew Garfield stepping out and Jacob coming in. I mean, it was like Jacob is the most perfect actor for the creature, and we have a supernaturally good connection. “It’s like, very few words. Very few things I have to say, and he does it… We recast, and we had nine weeks [to get the look down]. You can’t be under more pressure than that.” —Guillermo del Toro, Director
This connection allowed Elordi to absorb del Toro’s vision with minimal guidance, despite the daunting timeline to finalize the monster’s makeup and character details.
Makeup Artist Highlights Elordi’s Distinctive Physical Traits
Mike Hill, makeup artist trusted by del Toro, emphasized Elordi’s physicality and natural presence as ideal for the role. Hill noted:
“What attracted me to him was his gangliness and his wrists. It was this looseness. Then he has these real somber moments where he watches you really deftly, and his eyelids are low, with the long lashes like Karloff. “I was like, ‘I don’t know who else you could get with a physicality like this.’ His demeanor is innocent, but it’s encompassed in a six-foot-five frame. He could really do a lot of damage if this man really wanted to be a bad guy.” —Mike Hill, Makeup Artist
Elordi’s imposing six-foot-five stature combined with a surprisingly gentle disposition offers depth to the monster’s portrayal, marrying intimidation with vulnerability.
Andrew Garfield Expresses Support for Successor
Despite bowing out, Garfield maintains a positive outlook on Elordi stepping into the demanding role. In a previous interview, Garfield shared:
“Meeting Jacob felt really serendipitous so that I could really see and hear that, ‘No, maybe he needed that experience more than me.’ That was cool, to feel that he had a really spectacular time on that job.” —Andrew Garfield, Actor
Garfield’s gracious response reflects understanding of the unforeseen circumstances and goodwill toward Elordi’s opportunity.
Anticipation Builds Ahead of Venice Film Festival Premiere
Del Toro’s Frankenstein is generating significant excitement ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it will compete for prestigious awards including the Golden Lion, which del Toro previously won for The Shape of Water. After a limited theatrical release, the film is scheduled to debut on Netflix in November.
Although the late casting switch posed considerable challenges, the project remains on track to be a haunting and inventive addition to Guillermo del Toro’s acclaimed filmography, promising a fresh take on the legendary monster story.
