Frankenstein (2025) & The Bride! (2026): Mad Science Comes Full Circle

About this episode

This episode explores the evolution of the Frankenstein myth through modern adaptations and their implications for the sci-fi genre.

What happens when one of sci-fi's oldest stories is reimagined for a modern audience? In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi , we return to the origin of mad science — Mary Shelley's Frankenstein — through two new adaptations: Frankenstein (2025), directed by Guillermo del Toro , and The Bride! (2026), directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal . This isn't just another adaptation. It's a full-circle moment for the genre. From the obsessive creator who dares to make life… to the creation who refuses to belong to him, these films show how the Frankenstein myth has evolved over 200 years of science fiction. In this episode we explore: • Why Frankenstein is still the blueprint for every mad scientist story • How these new versions reinterpret the act of creating life • What they keep — and what they completely reinvent — from the original myth • Why The Bride! flips the perspective from creator to creation • What this tells us about where sci-fi — and mad science — is heading next From gothic horror roots to modern sci-fi storytelling, this is the evolution of one of the genre's defining ideas. And a fitting end point for our Mad Science series. Because sometimes the most important sci-fi…

People in this episode

Host: James Payne

Topics covered

• mad science
• adaptations
• Frankenstein
• sci-fi evolution
• creator and creation
• modern storytelling

Keywords

• Frankenstein
• mad scientist
• Guillermo del Toro
• Maggie Gyllenhaal
• sci-fi adaptations
• creation of life
• gothic horror
• modern sci-fi

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Frankenstein, The Bride!, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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