Biography Flash: Frankenstein's Monster Slays Pop Culture, Haunts AI Debates

Frankenstein's Monster Biography Flash a weekly Biography.

It’s Marcus Ellery here, back in the studio, coat half-on, coffee fully cold, and somehow still caffeinated, ready for another “Frankenstein’s Monster Biography Flash”—because who doesn’t want to know what a 200-year-old fictional creature has been up to in this week’s headlines? If you think your own existential crises are embarrassing, just wait till you get a load of Frankenstein’s Monster trying to trend on TikTok. Spoiler: he’s not great with filters.

So, top story: the Monster is everywhere and nowhere, a true icon who can’t even get a verified badge. The Guillermo del Toro adaptation finally hit a limited theatrical run last week and is about to drop worldwide on Netflix November 7. If you haven’t seen Jacob Elordi’s transformation, let’s just say it’s so impressive you’d think he’s auditioning to be the next Wolverine, but with better posture. The Venice International Film Festival gave the film a hero’s welcome—85 percent positive reviews from the critics, although apparently some folks wished the Monster had joined a support group instead of haunting the Arctic. And if you missed it, Jacob Elordi got a nod for Outstanding Supporting Performance at the upcoming Gotham Awards, which means the Monster might finally get his day in the sun—ironically, since sunlight is bad for the stitching.

On social media, the Monster is tearing up #MonsterMash again. X users are meme-ing the poor guy in everything from debates over AI ethics to “guess who’s coming to dinner” spoofs. The Monster’s existential despair is apparently relatable to anyone who has tried to use autocorrect. Meanwhile, the class debates are raging—according to The Daily Iowan, college students this week are once again wrestling with the millennia-old question, “Who’s really the monster: the guy who stitched up trouble, or the walking science experiment?” This is apparently more compelling than whatever Victor Frankenstein was actually working on, which sounds suspiciously like grad school in disguise.

Pop culture mentions? The Monster is trending as a Halloween costume thanks to the del Toro flick. Twitter and Instagram are blowing up with drunken selfies tagged #ModernPrometheus. If you saw someone in a Victorian coat last night trying to order a vegan latte, odds are good it was either Frankenstein’s Monster or, let’s be honest, somebody’s English major boyfriend doing method acting.

Long-term significance? Look, this adaptation is being hailed as the most anatomically obsessed retelling since biology class. Del Toro spent years mapping out every tendon—somewhere, Mary Shelley’s ghost is nodding in approval or muttering about copyright. And critics are gushing about Elordi’s ability to make “the Creature” sympathetic, tragic, and, yeah, a little bit scary. Suddenly, the Monster is more than just a universal cautionary tale about not letting men play God with your recycling bin. In case you missed it, even major outlets like CBS News are asking why Shelley’s monster endures—and hint: it’s because we’re all a little stitched together these days.

So, what’s the Monster’s last 24 hours look like? Trending on TikTok as “Goth King,” featured in university panels, and apparently chased out of an AI conference where someone tried to interview him about consciousness. And the reviews? People can’t stop arguing about whose side they’re on—Victor’s or the Monster’s. Personally, I’m team “Who knew Gothic horror could be this fashionable?”

Thanks for listening to “Frankenstein’s Monster Biography Flash.” Subscribe so you never miss an update on our favorite misunderstood science experiment and search “Biography Flash” for more configs on powerful people (and monsters) who just can’t catch a break. If the Monster can get a nomination, maybe there’s hope for me surviving my inbox. See you next time!

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI