Although Robert Eggers has established himself as a major modern horror storyteller with his films like The Witch and The Lighthouse, he was unable to crack the code on adapting the iconic horror monster Frankenstein. Initially, Eggers attempted to develop his own take on Frankenstein after the birth of his son, but he abandoned it after just two weeks, deeming it a “dud”.
In a recent interview, Eggers reflected on his approach to developing projects, revealing that he often has to put some ideas on the backburner. He expressed his admiration for Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein adaptation, but acknowledged that his own try was not successful.
Eggers’ comments on his Frankenstein attempt are surprisingly candid, as fans of his work are likely to disagree with his assessment that it “sucked”. Despite this, his subsequent films, including The Witch, The Lighthouse, and Nosferatu, have received critical and commercial success, with a rare perfect streak of scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Interestingly, several new Frankenstein-inspired projects have been announced in recent years, including Diablo Cody’s romantic comedy-skewing Lisa Frankenstein and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Eggers’ failed attempt may have been a blessing in disguise, allowing him to focus on other projects.
The success of Nosferatu suggests that Eggers could revisit the Frankenstein mythos in the future, potentially exploring the story of the Bride of Frankenstein. Given his passion for the Romantic era, he may be well-suited to retell this classic tale.
