Christian Bale's New R-Rated Monster Film Is Dividing Critics & Audiences On Rotten Tomatoes

With The Bride! in theaters, moviegoers have reached their verdict on Frankenstein (Christian Bale) and his titular lover (Jessie Buckley).

Just ahead of the release, The Bride! reviews were polarizing about the latest Frankenstein tale, which follows a murdered woman revived by renowned monster and scientist, Cornelia Euphronious (Annette Bening). Although director Maggie Gyllenhaal doesn’t pull back on a stunning visual take on a Gothic romance, the biggest criticism was the messy script and chaotic tonal shifts, which made the film unfocused and disjointed.

However, the voice that matters the most is that of moviegoers, and the verdict is in. Based on over 500 verified ratings, The Bride! has secured a solid 74% audience score, a stark contrast with the critics’ score of a “rotten” 59% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Many viewers expressed that the brutally violent reimagination is a thrilling and engaging ride and appreciated the blending of horror and noir for a fresh approach to the iconic story. Some critics and audiences criticized the feminist take as being poorly executed, but Gyllenhaal’s direction is described as daring and unconventional. Buckley and Bale’s performances were also praised, as their chemistry is described as a monster version of Bonnie and Clyde outlaws.

The divisive reception of The Bride! shouldn’t come as a surprise, however. In March 2025, concerns about the movie were reported by Puck, as early test screenings were described as negative and messy. Claims indicated that the Frankenstein-inspired adaptation was difficult to categorize, which aligns with the post-release responses.

Despite getting a seal of approval from audiences, unfortunately, that won’t be enough to help with the movie’s success. Given the whopping $80 million budget, The Bride! earned just $7.3 million domestically and $13.6 million globally. That means the film ended Warner Bros.’s nine-movie streak of debuting at No. 1 at the domestic box office after the new release was second behind Disney’s Hoppers. In a greater misfortune, it’s also deemed a box office bomb.

Interestingly, Netflix was originally involved with The Bride! before Warner Bros. swept up the project with a high budget. According to the Wall Street Journal, there were monetary disagreements. The report detailed that Gyllenhaal wanted to film in New York, while Netflix preferred New Jersey since it was cheaper.

Despite letting go of The Bride!, Netflix still had a hand in adapting the Mary Shelley story with Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. In contrast, his movie received positive reviews and has earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.

In the meantime, thedisappointing box office of The Bride! will sting for Warner Bros., but it shouldn’t hurt the studio too much, especially in light of the Paramount merger. Plus, this won’t be the end of the modern reimagination of the classic story to find some success and potential redemption on streaming. Currently, there are no confirmed details on when it will be released on HBO Max.

In addition to Bale and Buckley, The Bride! cast features Peter Sarsgaard, Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz. Maggie Gyllenhaal also wrote the script, which was inspired by the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein.

The Bride! is now playing in theaters.

Release Date March 6, 2026

Runtime 126 Minutes

Director Maggie Gyllenhaal

Writers Maggie Gyllenhaal

Producers Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Osnat Handelsman-Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, Maggie Gyllenhaal