Frankenstein’s Director’s Cut Restores the Murder James Cameron Told Guillermo del Toro to Remove

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein has been reborn. The Criterion Collection’s new release comes with an extended director’s cut, Frankenstein: The Reborn Cut, and its biggest addition is a pivotal sequence that fundamentally shifts the story’s first act. Here’s what’s changed, and why one of Hollywood’s biggest directors advised leaving it out in the first place.

The scene James Cameron told del Toro to cut

“This next episode was removed entirely from the theatrical cut,” Guillermo del Toro says.

It’s easy to see why this pivotal episode got cut: young Victor Frankenstein kills his father, Leopold Frankenstein (Charles Dance). It’s thematically on point with the Mary Shelley adaptation, but one titanic filmmaker in particular advised cutting the sequence.

“Jim Cameron suggested I did that,” del Toro shares in his audio commentary. “I think he was right for the theatrical cut.”

Immediately, one assumes maybe an executive or two got skittish about a boy killing his dad, but Cameron’s comment wasn’t only a matter of likability.

“Jim’s comment was twofold,” del Toro adds. “‘The audience is going to have a hard time identifying with Victor.’ They did anyway. He said, ‘If Victor kills his father, he completes his task. He avenges his mother. Why would he then embark on the quest for immortality if he already avenged his mother?’ I thought the comment made sense, but nevertheless, it’s one of my favorite passages I’ve ever filmed.”

Frankenstein. Writer/Director/Producer Guillermo del Toro of Frankenstein. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2025.

What else is new in The Reborn Cut?

As far as murders go, it’s on-brand beauty from del Toro, whose marvelous director’s cut has even more breathing room. At 2:38:43, it runs roughly eight and a half minutes longer than the 2:30:10 theatrical cut that debuted on Netflix with 29.1M views in its first three days. Most of the new material arrives in the opening act, giving the Frankenstein family more room before the story heads toward the Creature.

There is more intimacy between Victor, his brother William (Felix Kammerer), and William’s fiancée, Elizabeth (Mia Goth). There’s also a fantastic little bit of horror with Victor’s mother’s face deteriorating and being consumed by maggots.

But as far as the biggest change goes in the director’s cut, the death of the father brings something circular to the film: history repeating itself. The Creature wants to slay his father but breaks the violent human cycle in the end. The addition also emphasizes Victor’s Oedipus complex. Goth plays both Elizabeth and Victor’s mother for a clear reason. The murder deepens character, theme, and horror.

Who would’ve thought a boy poisoning his dad would make such a delightful new surprise in a director’s cut?

What’s included in the Criterion release?

Frankenstein arrived from Criterion on October 27 on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD, joining the label’s growing collection of Netflix movies and documentaries. It’s also the seventh del Toro film in the collection, following titles including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Alongside both cuts of the film, the set includes:

• Audio commentary: A new track from del Toro, recorded in 2026 for The Reborn Cut.
• The Anatomy Lesson: Director’s Cut: An hour-long version of the making-of documentary, expanding on the 45-minute version released on Netflix.
• The Parlour: Conversations on craft with del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac, cinematographer Dan Laustsen, production designer Tamara Deverell, costume designer Kate Hawley, and creature designer Mike Hill. For more on the film’s sets, read our interview on how Deverell built its beautifully brutal world.
• Q&As: Separate panels moderated by Martin Scorsese and Patti Smith.
• Alexandre Desplat interview: A 17-minute conversation with the film’s composer.
• Essay: A piece by author Christopher Frayling.

Can you watch The Reborn Cut on Netflix?

No and it’s unclear whether we’ll ever get the extended cut on Netflix – probably not. The theatrical version remains on Netflix, while The Reborn Cut is available through the Criterion release exclusively for the moment. If you haven’t seen the original yet, read our review of Frankenstein, then decide whether you need the extra eight minutes, and the extra murder, on your shelf.

Will you be picking up Frankenstein: The Reborn Cut? Do you think Cameron was right? Let us know in the comments below.