I can see why Warner Bros. might have been nervous about this one.
We finally have our first full trailer for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride” — and, honestly, this is an absolute barrage of images, with barely any plot to decipher from. It looks like an episodic Bonnie-and-Clyde-inspired Frankenstein story? Avant-garde visuals? Whatever it is, I can’t say I’m not intrigued.
Here’s the synopsis:
A lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (five-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A wild and radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance!
Back in February, Puck’s Matt Belloni reported that “The Bride!” had tested poorly, prompting Warner Bros. to intervene. The situation became serious enough that Warners’ co-head Pamela Abdy was brought in to “get the film into shape” for its initial fall 2025 release — though word was she struggled with it. Unsurprisingly, just a month later, the studio bumped the release to March 6, 2026, where it currently remains.
Since then, it seems Gyllenhaal and Warners have landed on the version they wanted. Post-production is complete, and the MPA has handed down an R rating for “strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity, and language.”
How Gyllenhaal — with just one feature under her belt — convinced Warners to bankroll a $100M R-rated semi-musical is anyone’s guess. However, credit where it’s due: she got them to greenlight this thing The film boasts an impressive cast that includes Peter Sarsgaard, Christian Bale, Jessie Buckley, Annette Bening, Penélope Cruz, John Mulaney, and Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s described as a loose reimagining of James Whale’s 1935 “Bride of Frankenstein,” itself a sequel to the 1931 classic.
Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, Netflix’s 2021 drama “The Lost Daughter,” was a critical breakthrough, earning three Oscar nominations and winning her Best Screenplay at Venice. With “The Bride,” she looks to make an even bolder statement.
It gives me no pleasure to report that this is one of the worst films of Schrader’s career. Wooden acting, Jack Huston and Sofia Boutella are badly miscast, the script is dull, the photography is flat; nothing works.