Fans hoping for a chilling, monstrous take on Mary Shelley's classic will need to adjust their expectations.

Legendary director Guillermo del Toro, known for fantastical horrors like Pan's Labyrinth and the gothic romance Crimson Peak, has confirmed his upcoming Netflix adaptation of Frankenstein is decidedly not a horror movie.

Speaking at a special panel at the Cannes Film Festival alongside composer Alexandre Desplat, del Toro revealed his surprising perspective. "Somebody asked me the other day, does it have really scary scenes?" he recounted. "For the first time, I considered that. It’s an emotional story for me. It’s as personal as anything. I’m asking a question about being a father, being a son… I’m not doing a horror movie — ever. I’m not trying to do that."

This declaration marks a significant departure from the genre typically associated with Victor Frankenstein's monstrous creation. While del Toro's...