When you think of Lisa Frank, vibrant rainbows, unicorns, and dolphins are the first things that come to mind. However, that’s not what audiences will get in the upcoming Universal film, Lisa Frankenstein, which is set to redefine that imagery with a blend of romance, horror, and comedic undertones.
The film revolves around Lisa (Kathryn Newton, or Cassie Lang for MCU fans), a high schooler who feels like an outsider in her own world. Unlike her peers, who daydream about the living, breathing boys in their class, Lisa’s heart beats for a long-deceased Victorian corpse.
In a macabre twist of fate (or perhaps a faulty tanning bed), Lisa manages to bring her cold-hearted crush back to life, and the two set out on a journey that’s equal parts romantic and creepy, searching for love, happiness, and a few missing body parts.
Lisa Frankenstein will be directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of acting legend Robin Williams) and written by Diablo Cody, whom you might recognize for her work on Jennifer’s Body and the Oscar-winning coming-of-age drama Juno. Veteran actress Carla Gugino will lend her talents as a supporting cast member, alongside Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, and Joe Chrest.
While the combination of Lisa Frank’s colorful aesthetics and Mary Shelley’s dark tale of Frankenstein might seem like an odd pairing, early reactions suggest that it’s a match made in horror heaven.
Drawing parallels with Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Lisa Frankenstein gives the impression of a must-watch flick for those who like their love stories with a side of the supernatural.
Lisa Frankenstein is set to hit theaters on February 9, 2024, and if the trailer is anything to go by, audiences are in for a wild Valentine’s ride filled with teenage angst, undead romance, and morbid humor.
