Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein coming to Criterion this October with an extended director’s cut

We already knew that Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein would be coming to the Criterion Collection, but now we finally know when. Criterion has announced that Frankenstein will be released on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on October 27, but that’s not the most exciting part. In addition to the theatrical version of the film, the release will also include a new 158-minute extended director’s cut.

Frankenstein Criterion Special Features

• 4K digital master of the theatrical version of the film, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack
• 4K digital master of Frankenstein: The Reborn Cut, a new 158-minute extended director’s cut of the film, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack
• Two 4K UHD discs of the films presented in Dolby Vision HDR and two Blu-rays with the films and special features
• New audio commentary on The Reborn Cut, featuring director Guillermo del Toro
• The Anatomy Lesson: Director’s Cut, a new documentary on the making of the film
• The Parlour, a collection of conversations on craft featuring del Toro; actors Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Oscar Isaac; cinematographer Dan Laustsen; production designer Tamara Deverell; costume designer Kate Hawley; and creature designer Mike Hill
• Q&As moderated by filmmaker Martin Scorsese and musician Patti Smith
• Interview with composer Alexandre Desplat conducted by film-music scholar Jon Burlingame
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
• PLUS: An essay by scholar and author Christopher Frayling

And here’s the new cover by Denver Balbaboco, which is just lovely.

What’s in the Extended Director’s Cut?

The director’s cut runs almost 10 minutes longer than the theatrical cut. It remains to be seen what the new additions will be, but it’s a good bet that del Toro will include the “beautiful” seven-minute sequence that Avatar director James Cameron convinced him to cut.

What Did We Think of Frankenstein?

Our own Chris Bumbray caught Frankenstein at the Toronto International Film Festival, and while he said the film was impressive, it wasn’t quite the masterpiece he was hoping it would be. “While I can’t quite call this my favorite Frankenstein adaptation, I’ll admit the overly drawn-out first half tested my patience,” he wrote. “Still, once the movie finds its footing, the second half is close to brilliant. Even if it’s uneven and slow to start, it ultimately blossoms into something powerful, a film that demands to be seen. It may take longer than it should to arrive at its peak, but when it does, it’s a striking reminder of what happens when a filmmaker is granted the freedom to pursue an undiluted vision. Del Toro has earned that privilege, and the result, while imperfect, is still essential viewing.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.

Will you be adding Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein to your Criterion collection?