Guillermo del Toro Reveals Where to Watch Frankenstein After Netflix’s Worst Theater Run

Guillermo del Toro finally got Frankenstein into theaters... kind of. The rollout is so tiny that fans are ticked, and del Toro is now telling everyone to hang tight because more screens are supposedly on the way. Here is what is actually happening and why it feels so cramped.

So how limited is 'limited'?

Netflix went with a prestige-targeted drop that aims squarely at big-city venues where turnout is a safe bet. Problem is, demand looks bigger than the footprint. Per MovieWeb, New York City has just three theaters showing the film right now — all in Manhattan. Even for a Netflix awards play, that is unusually narrow for a filmmaker as beloved as the guy behind The Shape of Water.

'I can assure you- the number of theatres will expand soon! Stay tuned'

— Guillermo del Toro, Oct 17, 2025

In other words, del Toro is doing some damage control while Netflix takes heat for a release that feels more like a whisper than a rollout. And yeah, the strategy absolutely looks intentional.

Where it is actually playing (confirmed so far)

• The Egyptian Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
• The Paris Theater - New York, NY
• TCL Chinese Theater - Hollywood, CA
• Landmark Theaters - various locations
• Coolidge Corner Theater - Brookline, MA
• Celebration Cinema - Nebraska and Michigan

There are others, but the fact that you can list them this quickly tells you how tight the net is.

Why squeeze it this hard?

Netflix has long used limited theatrical runs to meet awards eligibility while keeping the real party on the service. The playbook: give an acclaimed title a buzzy but scarce big-screen window, let scarcity turbocharge interest, then funnel the attention to streaming when it drops. That seems to be the plan here too. Some lucky folks will catch it in a gorgeous room; everyone else will likely wait a few weeks and hit play at home. It is also the opposite of the recent rah-rah about getting people back into theaters — something certain movie stars have been loudly championing.

The movie itself (quick basics)

Frankenstein is directed by Guillermo del Toro and produced under his Double Dare You banner. The cast is stacked: Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, and Mia Goth lead the charge. It is a 2025 release, and as of now it is sitting around a 7.4/10 on IMDb and 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans are mostly mad at the rollout, not the film.

What happens next

Del Toro says more theaters are coming, and if Netflix is reading the room, an expansion would be smart. If not, the plan remains the plan: Frankenstein starts streaming on Netflix on November 7, 2025 in the U.S. If you wanted to see it on a giant screen and your city is shut out, you are not alone.