Sebastian Stan Signs on for Bold New Take on FRANKENSTEIN
Sebastian Stan is set to bring Mary Shelley’s legendary monster back to life in another new film adaptation of Frankenstein.
The Golden Globe winner, who just reprised his role as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in Marvel’s Thunderbolts, is currently filming his return for Avengers: Doomsday, hitting theaters on December 18, 2026.
This Frankenstein project comes from acclaimed Romanian director Radu Jude, the mind behind the award-winning Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn and Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. Known for pushing boundaries, Jude has already made waves in the festival circuit.
Interestingly, the collaboration began because Stan reached out to Jude himself. Speaking to Cultura la dubă, Jude revealed:
“Sebastian contacted me a while ago, he said he would like to collaborate, but I had no idea. Finally, I thought, while I was working on the sound for Dracula, that I could propose a film that would start from the reality of the CIA prisons in Romania, from 20 years ago, and combine these ideas with another cinematic myth, that of the Frankenstein monster.”
Jude added: “Sebastian said yes, so I started writing the script, but it will take some time. I really appreciate him, he’s a great actor and he seems like a very curious guy, so I said, ‘Why not?'”
That combination of gritty real-world history and gothic horror could make this one of the most original Frankenstein adaptations in years. Before this project takes shape, Jude will premiere his Dracula adaptation at the 78th Locarno Film Festival, fresh off winning the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at Berlin for Kontinental ’25.
A CIA prison thriller fused with the tragedy of Frankenstein’s monster? That certainly sounds interesting.