Few filmmakers capture gothic grandeur like Guillermo del Toro, and Frankenstein (2025) continues that tradition with haunting precision. The film revisits Mary Shelley’s tale through settings that feel both ancient and alive: stone corridors, isolated hills, and fog-filled towns that seem to whisper of lost souls. Each site becomes a character in its own right, shaping the film’s atmosphere and spirit.

It therefore becomes essential to explore where these locations are present. However, before that, some more context for the film. 

Frankenstein, directed by Guillermo del Toro, features Oscar Isaac as the brilliant and egotistical scientist Victor Frankenstein opposite Jacob Elordi as the tragic creature he creates. The supporting cast includes Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Charles Dance and more in a much-buzzed reimagining of Mary Shelley’s novel.

The film entered principal photography on February 12, 2024, and wrapped on September 30, 2024. Across which countries and locales did it span, though?

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From across-the-pond locations to North American scenery, Frankenstein’s shooting sites promise a visual canvas like never before.

According to 4Filming, Frankenstein was filmed across striking locations in Scotland, England, and Canada. Key scenes were shot at Glasgow Cathedral and along the historic streets of Edinburgh, while England’s Burghley House added stately grandeur to the film’s gothic palette. The production also embraced the wintry beauty of North Bay, Ontario, with additional studio work in Toronto.

These varied sites helped Guillermo del Toro create the film’s visual world, blending majesty and melancholy to mirror the emotional depth of Mary Shelley’s timeless story. Not every frame of Frankenstein is real, however, as several out in the open behind-the-scenes details confirm otherwise.

According to The Cinema China, much of the film’s gothic atmosphere was achieved through elaborate practical effects rather than waiting for nature to bless the production. Director Guillermo del Toro and cinematographer Dan Laustsen relied heavily on fog and smoke rigs to create the film’s mist-filled tone, alongside controlled lighting tricks. These techniques helped blend the realism of on-location shoots with a stylized sense of dread that defines del Toro’s storytelling.

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, overall, looks set to be more than just another adaptation; it feels like a return to what Gothic cinema does best. Every shot, from its windswept exteriors to its enchantingly lit chambers, seems to carry both pain and poetry. The film promises to rekindle the tragedy and wonder of Mary Shelley’s creation for a new era. With its release now looming close, the wait to see this darkly beautiful vision unfold feels more thrilling than ever.

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Did knowing about Frankenstein’s filming locations make you more excited about the film? Let us know in the comments.