While Victor Frankenstein may have created the monster, author Mary Shelley brought both Frankenstein and his creation to life. And now, according to Variety, Shelley is getting her due in a new biopic centered around the journey to bring her story to life. Joining forces with Rose Pictures to co-produce, Fulwell 73 will be delivering Mary’s Monster to the big screen. Directed by Farren Blackburn, with a screenplay penned by Deborah Baxtrom, the film will set out to tell the story of the famous author as she pushes forward against all odds to see her novel through.
Published in 1818 and still considered to be one of the greatest classics of all time, Frankenstein told the tale of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist that tests the morality of the scientific process. When his most monumental experiment comes to life, the monster Frankenstein is born, and at eight feet tall, the creation terrifies others with his appearance, but is intelligent and has deeply felt emotions proving monsters can have hurt feelings too. After being deemed a hideous monstrosity and having several negative run-ins with humans, the creature seeks out his creator to help him no longer be alone. However, as things begin to unravel, the monster hates humans more and more, leading him down a path of death and destruction.
Considered to be the world’s first taste of science fiction, the novel would go on to become an iconic tale, spawning a multitude of film and television works as well as stage adaptations. The novel was supposedly inspired by a vacation Shelley took with her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and famous poet Lord Byron. As they made their way across Europe, the trio stopped for a visit in Gernsheim, Germany where the real Frankenstein Castle sat. It was believed that two hundred years before Shelley’s visit, an alchemist had performed wild experiments in the castle, which would inspire Shelley when, during a competition with her husband and his companions in Geneva, Switzerland, the concept of the scientist and his creation was born.
A woman that sought out a profession that at the time shunned females, Shelley is not only a revered writer, but also an inspiration. The author’s journey and personal life has influenced countless autobiographies, films, and television shows. Elle Fanning even took a turn playing the prolific author in a 2017 biopic that centered around Shelley’s marriage to her husband.
While there is no release date for the film, we look forward to hearing more about the production on the incredible novelist’s life.
As per Variety, here’s the logline for the film:
Terrified of giving voice to the darkness of her subconscious mind, Mary Shelley locks into a dangerous battle with her own ‘inner monster’ as she struggles to write her seminal science fiction novel, ‘Frankenstein.