Star Wars Star Oscar Isaac Says Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein Was His Most Fun Shoot Ever — Darkest Story, Biggest Joy

Guillermo del Toro is doing Frankenstein the way you expect from him: full Gothic, big feelings, rain for days. The surprise? Oscar Isaac says playing Victor Frankenstein was a blast.

"It was the most fucking fun I've ever had in my life."

Isaac tells SFX magazine he spent shoot days sprinting through downpours, pounding up and down staircases, staging a crucifix tableau with a near Christ-like image, and, yes, del Toro yelling from the corner like a gleeful ringmaster. By his count, it was dark material powered by a very not-dark vibe — more like a couple of teenagers got the keys to the studio and decided to make a passion project anyway. Honestly, that tracks for a del Toro set.

This Victor isn't the usual mad scientist

Isaac says del Toro isn't chasing the classic "scientist gone mad" version we've all seen. He's treating Victor more like an artist driven by obsession, and the story leans into the emotional fallout of generational abuse and trauma — how Victor inherits it, how he passes it on to his creation, and the reckoning that follows. It's the monster story, but with the damage mapped out in full.

Key dates and where to find this

• Frankenstein opens in select cinemas on October 17, then hits Netflix on November 7.
• Isaac's full chat is in SFX magazine, the issue with "It: Welcome to Derry" on the cover, on newsstands Wednesday, October 8.
• SFX flagged it as their 2025 Halloween Horror Special, celebrating the new "It: Welcome to Derry" series with exclusive interviews and extras. Last year's Halloween issue sold out fast, so they're nudging readers to pre-order. Look for the "It: Welcome to Derry" cover — they teased it on October 2.