EXCLUSIVE: Carla Gugino (The Fall of the House of Usher), Liza Soberano (Alone/Together), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things) and Henry Eikenberry (The Crowded Room) will star alongside Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse in the horror-comedy Lisa Frankenstein, which actor-filmmaker Zelda Williams is directing for Focus Features, in her feature debut.
Set in 1989, Lisa Frankenstein follows an unpopular high school student (Newton) who accidentally re-animates a handsome Victorian corpse (Sprouse) during a lightning storm and starts to rebuild him into the man of her dreams, using the broken tanning bed in her garage. While we hear that Chrest will be playing the titular character’s father Dale, details as to the others’ roles haven’t been disclosed. Academy Award and Tony winner Diablo Cody scripted the film, which has entered production in New Orleans.
Mason Novick is producing for MXN Entertainment, alongside his frequent collaborator Cody, with Jeffrey Lampert serving as executive producer. Michelle Momplaisir is overseeing the project for Focus Features, which will distribute the film in the U.S. Universal Pictures International will serve as its international distributor.
Boasting more than 100 screen credits, Gugino has most recently been seen in series including Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Bly Manor, as well as films like Gunpowder Milkshake and Gerald’s Game. She recently wrapped production on Flanagan’ limited series The Fall of the House of Usher for Netflix, and will next be seen starring in Peacock’s Leopard Skin, which she is also exec producing.
Soberano is a Filipino-American actress, model and singer who with Lisa Frankenstein will make her Hollywood feature film debut. The multi-hyphenate boasts a large following in the Philippines, where she’s known for roles in films like My Ex and Whys (2017) and Alone/Together (2019), as well as the more recent Netflix animated feature Trese, which had her voicing the titular character.
Chrest is best known for his role as Ted Wheeler—father to Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy (Natalie Dyer)—on Netflix’s hit series, Stranger Things, which recently wrapped up its two-part fourth season. Among additional upcoming projects for the actor is Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
Eikenberry is a model and actor has been seen on HBO’s Euphoria and will next appear in the Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room with Tom Holland.
Gugino is represented by UTA and Untitled Entertainment; Soberano by Careless and Transparent Arts, as well as Authentic Talent and Literary Management in the U.S.; Chrest by Stride Management, People Store and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; and Eikenberry by WME and TMT Entertainment Group.
