Penelope Cruz Brings Punk Energy to 'The Bride' Remake

Director Maggie Gyllenhaal describes the Oscar-winning actor as a 'combination of things that don't fit in a box'.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 7:50pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Penelope Cruz stars in the upcoming film 'The Bride', a feminist reimagining of the Frankenstein story directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. The movie, set in 1930s Chicago with a 'punk' aesthetic, follows the Bride character as she reclaims her agency and identity after being resurrected by a doctor and a lonely man. Cruz's performance is praised by Gyllenhaal, who has known the actor for 20 years, as embodying a powerful yet vulnerable quality with an 'irrational' edge.

Why it matters

Gyllenhaal's 'The Bride' uses the classic Frankenstein myth to tell a story about female empowerment and social change, with the Bride character leading a 'punk revolution' against the men who created her. The film's stylized 1930s setting and 'punk' energy represent a refusal to conform to traditional boxes, celebrating those who have been marginalized.

The details

In the film, the Bride, played by Jessie Buckley, wakes up with 'a lot to say' and rejects being anyone's 'creation' or 'companion'. She teams up with Frankenstein's monster, played by Christian Bale, to form an 'outlaw' duo whose combustible romance and high-profile chaos ignite a radical social movement. Detective Myrna Mallow, struggling for recognition in a male-dominated field, is tasked with tracking the pair, but begins to see 'unsettling commonalities' between herself and the 'monsters' as she investigates.

  • The Bride is scheduled to open in IMAX and select theaters on March 6, 2026.

The players

Penelope Cruz

An Oscar-winning Spanish actor and Chanel ambassador who stars in 'The Bride'.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

The director of 'The Bride', who has known Penelope Cruz for 20 years and describes her as a 'combination of things that don't fit in a box'.

Jessie Buckley

The actress who plays the Bride, a rising star who recently won a Golden Globe and is Oscar-nominated for her performance in 'Hamnet'.

Christian Bale

The actor who plays Frankenstein's monster in 'The Bride'.

Myrna Mallow

The detective character in the film who struggles for recognition in a male-dominated field.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“She's so powerful, so vulnerable with a toughness. She has this wild, irrational quality about her.”

— Maggie Gyllenhaal, Director of 'The Bride' (L'Officiel USA)

The takeaway

Gyllenhaal's 'The Bride' uses the classic Frankenstein story as a platform to explore themes of female empowerment and social change, with Penelope Cruz's powerful yet unconventional performance at the heart of this 'punk revolution' against traditional expectations.