In a recent interview, Maggie Gyllenhaal discussed her directorial follow-up to The Lost Daughter, the $80 million-budgeted The Bride!, a revisionist take on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. She highlighted positive test screenings and collaboration with Warner Bros. amid the studio's acquisition by Paramount. The film releases in theaters on Friday.
Maggie Gyllenhaal, who earned an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay for her 2021 debut feature The Lost Daughter, has opened up about her second directorial effort, The Bride!. The film reimagines Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and James Whale's 1935 Bride of Frankenstein as a punk-infused, sensual story featuring Jessie Buckley in dual roles as The Bride and Shelley herself. Buckley received her first Oscar nomination for The Lost Daughter.
Gyllenhaal described the audience reactions she has heard, noting, “I do constantly get the response: ‘This is wild, this is new, this is in a different language, I haven’t seen anything like this before.’” For her, however, the project feels like home after years immersed in it. She emphasized creating space for “wild and surprising things to happen” while ensuring the final product was “very, very considered.”
The production involved extensive collaboration with Warner Bros. executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, incorporating feedback from test screenings to balance artistic vision with broader appeal. Gyllenhaal appreciated the studio's support for “unusual and singular visions,” stating, “Warner Bros. has been really brave in supporting people... and not repeating the same work over and over again.” Christian Bale, who stars in the film, initially thought the script was for a smaller indie due to its daring nature.
In writing, Gyllenhaal imagined unspoken thoughts Mary Shelley might have had in 1819 as a radical woman, influenced by current events like the recent opening of Epstein files. The Bride's uncontrollable bursts draw from personal connections, including someone close with Tourette’s. Gyllenhaal sought advice from filmmakers like Adam McKay, Greta Gerwig, and Denis Villeneuve during the process.
The film blends genres, incorporating comedy and joy alongside monstrous themes, with half of Sonic Youth contributing to the score. As Warner Bros.' first release post-Paramount acquisition, Gyllenhaal urged audiences to support theatrical viewings of films with strong points of view. She expressed enthusiasm for directing and worldbuilding, feeling just started with these tools rarely accessible to women.
