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A different take on Mary Shelley and her most famous creation is promised in a new movie starring Kit Harington that’s being launched at Cannes and aims to start production in August.

Independent production company Fulwell 73 has partnered with New York City’s Rose Pictures to produce Mary’s Monster, a “dark provocative feature film that uniquely explores one of the most brilliant minds in English Literature, Mary Shelley, and the relationship with her most famous creation, Frankenstein.”

Clara Rugaard (I Am Mother; Teen Spirit; The Rising) has been cast in the lead role of Mary Shelley, with Kit Harington (Game of Thrones; Eternals) playing the Monster, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (CODA; Sing Street; Vikings) will play Mary’s husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and Sebastian De Souza (Normal People; The Great) will play Byron.

Mary’s Monster will bring the lives of Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron into sharp focus in a daringly innovative interpretation of one of the most exciting and radical times in history. Couture fashion meets gothic horror as we view their 19th century world through today’s lens against a backdrop of contemporary music, spoken word, sex, drugs and Baroque n Roll. This group of young creatives took life by the scruff of the neck and blazed their own trails, constantly pushing to change a world that wasn’t ready for them. Mary’s Monster will throw its’ audience smack bang into the middle of it as Mary embarks upon the journey of writing her most celebrated work. 

Terrified of giving voice to her own dark, transgressive thoughts yet at the same time driven creatively by them, Mary is seduced by her own inner monster catapulting her into a dangerous, destructive psychological romance the likes of which has never been seen before. Realising the monster is inextricably linked to her own mental state, feeding off her own emotions, Mary’s only route to salvation is in bringing him to life. To survive, to heal, to finally be heard, her voice must become…monstrous.

BAFTA Award-winning Farren Blackburn (The Fades; The Innocents; Discovery of Witches; Daredevil;) will direct with a script by Deborah Baxtrom and Stephen Hallett. Curating the genre defining soundtrack is Executive Music Producer Marius de Vries (La La Land; CODA; Moulin Rouge) who will also serve as Executive Producer. Kelly Valentine Hendry (Bridgerton; Fleabag) will serve as Casting Director.

Clara Rugaard said: “I am incredibly honoured to jump on board this project and be a part of telling the story of such an influential and revolutionary woman. I’m beyond excited to be bringing this celebrated female voice to life and to further delve into the world and psyche of Mary Shelley.”

Kit Harington said: “Mary’s Monster is a brilliantly original and fascinating script and I’m relishing the idea of depicting the unique part of The Monster. An embodiment of Mary Shelley’s psyche. I’m excited by Farren’s vision and passion for the project.”

Farren Blackburn, Director, said: “Mary’s Monster is a film about female voice, mental health, gender politics and a disenfranchised youth. For me, no character in history has ever captured the zeitgeist quite like Mary Shelley and Mary’s Monster is THE defining period film for the modern YA generation. As a filmmaker, I love that genre allows us to hold a magnifying glass up to these kinds of issues and look at them in the most imaginative way possible and in my opinion it doesn’t get more imaginative than Mary Shelley facing off against her own inner Monster! Films this unique and original don’t come along too often and I’m beyond excited to be at the helm.”

Heather Greenwood, senior executive at Fulwell 73, said: “Mary’s Monster is a raw, sexy, dark and dangerous take on an incredible story which gets to the heart of Shelley’s mythical monster and its true nature. I am thrilled with the creative team we have on board who will  bring vibrancy and life to an iconic woman in English history and bring this dark, strange, tragic and genre-busting film to life in a unique, modern way. Fulwell 73 deliver fresh, exciting, and innovative scripted storytelling and we can’t wait to bring this revolutionary film to audiences.”

Rose Ganguzza at Rose Pictures, said: “From the beginning I have always seen this story in a  heightened visual universe, lush with the shades of light and dark, and a stylized canvas for costumes and makeup which extend it beyond period and into an extended reality. Mary, her Monster and every character in this film will be elevated to the limits of imagination.”