Jessie Buckley has electrified the film world once again as she stepped into the role of the titular character in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s sophomore directorial feature, THE BRIDE. During Warner Bros.’ presentation at the Colosseum inside Caesars Palace, Buckley joined Gyllenhaal on stage to unveil the first look at this groundbreaking reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic tale. The Irish actress, whose career has been on a meteoric rise since her breakthrough performances in I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS and THE LOST DAUGHTER, described her visceral reaction to Gyllenhaal’s script, saying it felt like “being plugged into an electrical current” – an apt metaphor for her reanimated character.

Set in 1930s Chicago, THE BRIDE follows Frankenstein’s monster who enlists Dr. Euphronios to create a companion, reviving a murdered woman in the process. Buckley’s portrayal alongside Christian Bale promises what she calls “the punkest love that’s ever existed,” drawing comparisons to the wild energy of BONNIE AND CLYDE and WILD AT HEART, but with a distinctly more combustible edge – “our one has some petrol in its skin and we’re holding a match.” The footage revealed at CinemaCon showcased Buckley’s character being revived and embarking on an epic journey through vivid landscapes with Frankenstein’s monster, punctuated by a provocative tagline: “Here Comes the Mother Fucking Bride.” In one haunting scene, Buckley’s bride, her head eerily displayed in a glass vase, simply utters, “Monstrous.”

Gyllenhaal emphasized the film’s unique vision, noting that viewers “haven’t really seen anything like it before,” while also highlighting her cinematic approach to the material. Despite the monsters performing “monstrous things,” they remain the heroes of this unconventional love story. Buckley, whose renowned versatility has been showcased in productions ranging from CHERNOBYL to WOMEN TALKING, continues to demonstrate her fearless approach to complex roles. Her commitment to Gyllenhaal’s vision was absolute – “She could’ve asked me to be a sheep, and I would’ve said yes.”

Warner Bros. recently pushed THE BRIDE‘s release date from September 2025 to March 6, 2026, positioning it as a follow-up to Guillermo del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN adaptation starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi. Buckley shares the screen with an impressive ensemble cast including Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, John Magaro, Julianne Hough, and Jake Gyllenhaal, further cementing her status among Hollywood’s most compelling and in-demand performers.