The Gotham Awards are getting gothic.
The Gotham Film Awards announced Thursday that they will bestow 2025’s Vanguard Tribute upon “Frankenstein” at the annual ceremony. Guillermo del Toro, Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi will all attend the New York awards show in December to accept the tribute, which will “honor the enduring impact of Mary Shelley’s story and celebrate [Toro, Isaac and Elordi] for their bold reimagining of this timeless tale.”
“Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ has captivated audiences for more than 200 years, and Guillermo del Toro’s epic adaptation reminds us why this story continues to endure,” Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, said in a statement. “Guillermo, Oscar and Jacob have created something truly breathtaking — a film that honors the literary legacy while boldly exploring profound questions about what it means to be human. Their collaboration embodies the melding of creativity, talent and vision that The Gotham aspires to celebrate.”
Per the awards show, this honor is bestowed upon “pioneering films that push the boundaries of cinema through fearless artistic choices.” And, this time around, the award goes to a new 150-minute spin on a classic story — bringing a longtime dream of del Toro’s to life.
Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” — a more faithful adaptation than the Boris Karloff-starring Universal Monster movies of the 1930s — is led by Isaac and Elordi as Victor Frankenstein and his Creature, respectively. Andrew Garfield was originally eyed to take on Elordi’s part, though the latter stepped in following the SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023.
Joining Isaac and Elordi in the cast are Mia Goth as Victor’s fiancée Elizabeth and (in a separate role) his mother, Charles Dance as Victor’s father and Christoph Waltz as Elizabeth’s uncle.
After premiering at Venice on Aug. 30, “Frankenstein” went on to have a limited run at other film festivals, including TIFF. On Sunday, del Toro, Elordi and Goth surprised audiences in Los Angeles at Beyond Fest (seated to screen “Pan’s Labyrinth”) with a special screening of “Frankenstein.”
This isn’t del Toro’s first time at the Gothams, as the filmmaker was previously recognized in 2006 with the Director Tribute alongside Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu. Isaac has been nominated thrice at the Gothams, while this will be Elordi’s first recognition from the ceremony. A full list of nominees for the 2025 Gotham Awards will be announced on Oct. 28.
“Frankenstein” will release in limited theaters Oct. 17 and on Netflix Nov. 7. The 35th Annual Gotham Film Awards will be held Dec. 1 in New York.
