The Art & Making Of Frankenstein: Written and Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Standard Trade Edition
Hardcover
By Sheila O’Malley
Introduction by Oscar Isaac; Foreword by Guillermo del Toro
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: October 28, 2025

The Art & Making Of Frankenstein: Written and Directed by Guillermo del Toro is a massive, beautifully crafted tome that provides an informative behind-the-scenes look at visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro‘s latest feature film, Frankenstein, an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 literary masterpiece Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

When director Guillermo del Toro calls something his “passion project,” you know that if he gets to see it through to fruition, it’s going to be amazing. Reimagining Mary Shelley’s classic novel for the big screen was one of Del Toro’s childhood aspirations, and with 2025’s Frankenstein, his dream has been triumphantly realized.

Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein, a new film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, hit theaters this weekend for a limited run before its Netflix debut on November 7, 2025. The director’s take on the classic is visually stunning and brilliant, so I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen while you can.

A few new related books will be published this Fall in conjunction with the film’s release. Below are details about each along with images.

– Coming October 28, 2025 from Penguin Books is the Netflix Tie-In Edition of Shelley’s 1818 version of the novel Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus. This version includes an introduction by Guillermo del Toro and features a cover with the movie’s creature, played by Jacob Elordi.

– Coming October 28, 2025 from Insight Editions is The Art & Making Of Frankenstein: Written and Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Along with the standard trade edition, two collector editions (Portfolio and Artifact Edition [LE]) will also be available.

– Coming November 25, 2025 from Insight Editions is Frankenstein: The Complete Screenplay, which contains the Guillermo del Toro script along with an introduction by the filmmaker and more.

Deathstalker (2025)
Directed & Written by Steven Kostanski
Starring Daniel Bernhardt, Patton Oswalt, Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, Nina Bergman, Nicholas Rice, Conor Sweeney
Studio: Hangar 18 Media
Distributed by: Shout! Studios, Raven Banner Entertainment
Rated R; Runtime: 99 minutes
Release date: October 10, 2025

I didn’t know reboots of cheesy ’80s sword & sorcery B-movies were what I needed this year, but after recently seeing the new Red Sonja and now Deathstalker, it’s clear that they absolutely are. The new Deathstalker enhances the fantastical elements of the 1983 original film, while lovingly and knowingly winking through its sillier aspects.

You don’t need to have seen the Roger Corman–produced original Deathstalker to enjoy this reboot, though if you have, you’ll definitely appreciate the new effort even more.

You see, the 1980s were bursting with these low-budget fantasy films, kicked off in 1981 by Clash Of The Titans with its stand-out stop-motion visual effects from artist Ray Harryhausen. That same year brought Dragonslayer and Excalibur, with The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Beastmaster (one of my all-time favorites), and the ultimate swords & sandals classic, Conan the Barbarian starring Arnold Schwarzenegger following in 1982. It was then that producer-extraordinaire Roger Corman got in the game, first with the little-known Sorceress (1982) and then Deathstalker (1983), the first of ten such genre films he produced in Argentina that decade.

Rife with gratuitous nudity, campy dialogue, and subpar make-up and special effects — not to mention a theatrical poster with obligatory artwork by Boris Vallejo that would make Manowar weep — Corman’s Deathstalker did surprisingly well at the box office and on home video, going on to become a cult classic that spawned three sequels. But it’s definitely a product of its time.

This year’s reboot from writer/director Steven Kostanski — the mastermind behind 2020’s well-received sci-fi horror-comedy PG: Psycho Goreman — embraces the aforementioned cheesiness while also slightly elevating it to match the sensibilities of today’s audiences. Thankfully, Kostanski ditches the outdated tropes of the original, such as female warriors inexplicably fighting with their bare breasts exposed or the disturbingly “playful” depictions of sexual assault. Instead, working within a limited budget, he crafts a vibrant visual playground where the title character battles an array of bizarre creatures — from a teleporting buzzsaw-blade-wielding demon to two-headed ogres, bipedal pig-like monsters, and needy swamp things — using primarily practical effects and “man in a rubber suit” costumes.

Played by stuntman-turned-actor Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick: Ballerina), Deathstalker is an ex-soldier of the Kingdom of Abraxion, which is under siege by an army of crimson-armored Dreadites, horrid reanimated corpses made to serve the ancient, long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. During one of these battles, Deathstalker swipes a cursed amulet off a dying soldier, who warns that the artifact must be returned. He ignores the warning, though, assuming the trinket is just a regular old spoil of war.

Soon, the warrior discovers that the amulet has bound itself to him. On his perilous, D&D-style quest to be freed to it, Deathstalker teams up with Brisbayne (Christina Orjalo), a mysterious young thief, and the diminutive Doodad (Laurie Field; voiced by Patton Oswalt), a good-natured, but inept wizard. Together, they fend off hideous predators of the kingdom, as well as the monstrous minions and ruthless bounty hunters dispatched by the evil Nekromemnon (Nicholas Rice), who wants to use the amulet to take control over Abraxion.

Bernhardt, with his muscular physique and expert fighting skills, is a perfect fit as the sword-wielding reluctant hero. But unlike other “silent but deadly” characters before him, this warrior isn’t all brawn and no brains. The actor doesn’t grunt his way through the movie; instead, he handles the dialogue with ease, whether decapitating a foe, facing the menacing Nekromemnon, or bantering with Doodad. His chemistry with Doodad nears buddy-cop level, thanks in part to Patton Oswalt’s comedic prowess. One of the funniest moments comes when Doodad counsels Deathstalker to lay down his sword and try a softer approach when the duo encounters some swamp creatures. It’s this kind of intentional levity that raises Deathstalker above your typical B-movie fantasy fare. You’ll laugh out loud because it’s funny — not because it’s bad.

Speaking of swords, there’s a four-bladed sword in this movie that is so preposterously huge and cumbersome that even the mighty Deathstalker looks like he’s in danger of falling over while wielding it. This is another great example of how Kostanski infuses humor into his homage to great effect. Oh, and there are Harryhausen-esque stop-motion fighting skeletons!!!

Rounding out the ’80s throwbacks is the disappointingly short yet highly entertaining Deathstalker (Songs From The Motion Picture) soundtrack album, which contains a mere three tracks. There’s a hair-metal rendition of the Chuck Cirino-composed 1987 Deathstalker II theme song, plus its radio-friendly version, both of which feature Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who also served as producer on the new film. For the cover, he collaborated with Bear McCreary (Game Of Thrones), Brendan McCreary (SyFy’s Defiance), and Cirino to craft lyrics for the recording, which also included Gene Hoglan (Dethklok, Dark Angel) on drums, Pete Griffin (Dethklok) on bass, and Omer Ben-Zvi on guitar. The third track, “Walking Alone,” is an original tune written for the film by multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and Danish singer/songwriter Nina Bergman, who also appears in the movie as Grendul, the ruthless leader of the Abraxeon Thieves Guild.

Deathstalker (2025) is a glorious throwback to the sword-and-sorcery heyday of the 1980s, mining what made those films so fun while trimming away what hasn’t aged well. It’s a self-aware celebration of its source material that perfectly balances reverence and creativity, giving fans something meaty to chew on while inviting a new generation to discover the magic of the genre.

Good Boy (2025)
Directed by Ben Leonberg
Written by Ben Leonberg & Alex Cannon
Starring Indy, Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, Larry Fessenden
IFC Films | Shudder
Release date: October 3, 2025

Dave3 and I just saw the new film Good Boy last night and here are my immediate thoughts about it. FYI – LOVED IT!!! If you’re able to, get out to see it in theaters and support indie horror.

Good Boy is a fantastic new indie horror movie filmed from the perspective of a dog. The movie follows Indy (played by Indy), a Nova Scotia Duck Toller Retriever, whose sickly owner Todd (Shane Jensen) moves them from his New York City apartment into his family’s rundown haunted rural home in a secluded woods. Once there, Indy not only witnesses the physical and mental deterioration of his beloved owner, but is also directly subjected to the menacing supernatural forces of the house.

But, “IS THE DOG OK?!?!?”, you ask. The answer is YES!!!!!!!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Directed by Matt Shakman
Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson
Marvel Studios
Release date: July 25, 2025

Non-spoiler first thoughts (mostly written in the car on the way home from the movie theater) on The Fantastic Four: First Steps:

Marvel Studios churned out an enjoyable film that does justice to these classic characters, making them all likable and competent. I love the film’s retro-futuristic look (not a cell phone in sight) and color scheme. While this is the “first steps,” it’s not an origin story, with the groups’ superpowered circumstances summed up quickly at the start on the team’s anniversary. This allows the danger to present right away and the action to get going fast.