Women’s agency in films and filmmaking has come into sharp focus following the development of the #MeToo movement to out Hollywood’s serial predators. In a recent interview withTales From the Boo Crewpodcast, filmmaker David Koepp, who is penning the script for a remake of 1935’sBride of Frankensteinexplained how the modern take on the horror classic takes its cue from Silicon Valley and #MetToo.
“I justgave Universal a new draftabout a month ago and they seem to really like it and they’re talking to directors. It’s become the story of how are we extending our lives; can we create life, can we cheat death? It only gets more and more relevant over time. The big life extension work right now that’s being out in Silicon Valley is overwhelming, impressive, and scary, and I feel like a present-day version of that is begging to be made.”
“The other thing is she is a woman who is not created but resurrected, and certain people feel ownership over her, and that almost too relevant today in theera of #metoo. What are her rights as a person, the person that exists, if you were dead? There are a lot of really interesting questions that are raised. Again, it’s horror effortlessly lending itself to metaphor.”
The originalBride of Frankensteinwas born out of a minor subplot in Mary Shelley’sFrankensteinnovel, where the tormented doctor is forced to create a mate for the monster he had created in his lab. The film was a huge success, and efforts to reboot the premise for modern times have been going on for years. At one point, Angelina Jolie was attached to play the lead role of the bride, back when Universal Pictures had ambitious plans to launch their ownDark Universemade up of classic horror movie monsters.
ThenDracula Untoldand Tom Cruise’sThe Mummyfilms crashed and burned at the box-office, scuppering Universal’s plans. The studio redirected their energies to create smaller, unconnected horror thrillers. The first of these offerings, a remake ofThe Invisible Manstarring Elizabeth Moss as the tortured girlfriend of an abusive ex who has learned to make himself invisible, was met with great critical acclaim and box office success.
David Koepphas previously mentioned that the upcomingBride of Frankensteinwill be taking its cue fromThe Invisible Manin having a medium budget and focusing on character-based horror instead of fancy locations and special effects.
By positioningBride of Frankensteinas a #MeToo story about a resurrected woman taking back control of her life that has been laid claim over by men, Koepp can make the movie socially relevant in a way that few horror films get to be. Such an approach would also put the film, along withThe Invisible Manat the forefront of a new cinematic franchise that is headlined by strong, compelling female characters, something that hasn’t been seen since the days whenThe Hunger Gamesfranchise was at its peak.
