(Image Source: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Warner Bros. Pictures' new "Frankenstein" adaptation, "The Bride!", produced with a budget of nearly $100 million, quickly stumbled after hitting theaters last month. Not only did it earn less than $24 million globally, but audience and critical reception was overwhelmingly negative, leading to a complete box office flop. However, amidst the widespread disappointment, "The Bride!" has found a prominent voice to come to its defense.
"Gremlins" franchise director Joe Dante recently appeared on the YouTube channel "Trailers from Hell" to discuss "The Bride!" (see link above). He did not hold back, offering a passionate and strong endorsement.
Dante first suggested that the release of "The Bride!" might have been ill-timed, coming too soon after Guillermo del Toro's Netflix adaptation of "Frankenstein" debuted last October. However, Dante added that what truly hurt "The Bride!" was how many male critics deemed its genre-bending mix of elements "incomprehensible." Dante, conversely, considered "The Bride!" to be one of the freshest and boldest "Frankenstein" adaptations in recent memory. He even stated that lead actress Jessie Buckley's performance was more outstanding than her acclaimed role in "Hamnet." Dante concluded by saying that bold, boundary-pushing studio films like "The Bride!" are increasingly rare in today's market.