David Koepp Says His Bride of Frankenstein Remake Is Moving Forward

Writer David Koepp had a Bride of Frankenstein remake in the works a couple years back, and he says that it’s back up and running at Universal. Koepp spoke with Collider for a new interview and revealed that his script for a new take on the Universal classic horror film is moving forward after the script was reworked.

Koepp’s original take on the film was set to be part of the “Dark Universe” that failed after The Mummy starring Tom Cruise bombed. Since then, Universal has decided to develop smaller-budgeted remakes pitched by filmmakers with their own takes, a strategy that resulted in The Invisible Man being a massive hit earlier this year.

“That was one thing I did during quarantine – I brought back Bride of Frankenstein into a place where I kind of always wanted it to be,” Koepp told the site. “Universal was very gracious to let me try again. Because they had geared up and shut down famously in the Dark Universe fiasco. Well, not fiasco, but disappointment. So I have a version now and they have a version that we all really like. I think they’re talking to directors now.”

He continued, “It’s not the great big, $150 million extravaganza with giant movie stars. It’s not as scaled down as Invisible Man but much more reasonable, doable thing, with, I think, a really cool idea and it’s all present day.”

The original plan for the film would have starred Angelina Jolie and tied into the larger Dark Universe. Bride of Frankenstein is one of the most beloved and esteemed horror films of all time, though the character never appeared in any Universal films after unlike her male counterparts. A pseudo-remake, The Bride, was released in 1985 and starred the musician Sting and Jennifer Beals but it was not a direct remake, and was a critical and financial flop.