Movies of War

Mar 6, 2026 3:30pm PT Maggie Gyllenhaal on Casting Family in ‘The Bride!’ and Having Godmother Jamie Lee Curtis Champion the Film By Antonio Ferme Plus Icon Antonio Ferme Latest ‘Love Story’ Creator Defends Not Consulting the Kennedy Family: ‘It Allows You to Be a Lot More Objective’ 3 weeks ago Kevin James on His ‘Solo Mio’ Super Bowl Stunt, Staying Apolitical and Wanting ‘Grown Ups 3’ Whether ‘It’s Streaming or in Theaters’ 3 weeks ago Sundance on ICE: How the Spirit of Robert Redford Shined Through a Chilling Political Moment 1 month ago See All John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images Maggie Gyllenhaal cast several familiar faces in “The Bride,” her punk horror reimagining of the 1935 classic “Bride of Frankenstein.” The film features her husband, Peter Sarsgaard, and her brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, and a reunion with Jessie Buckley, who starred in her feature directorial debut, “The Lost Daughter.” As for the bride’s monster groom, she landed on her “Dark Knight” co-star, Christian Bale. Related Stories Milan Cortina Olympics Attracts 23.5 Million Viewers Across NBCUniversal and Versant Outlets, Best Winter Games Since 2014 Warner Bros. Discovery Eyes Renewed Discussions With Paramount Skydance After Latest Bid “It was almost like meeting him again,” Gyllenhaal said about Bale at the film’s New York premiere on Tuesday night. “What was required of him in this movie, I needed his whole heart, his whole mind. We really needed to make friends — which we did — in order to do this.” Popular on Variety Gyllenhaal told Variety that her husband, Sarsgaard, “was in on the whole process” of bringing the $90 million fever dream to life, ranging from workshopping ideas to reading drafts of the script. Her brother, Jake, came into the picture later on. The siblings have largely kept their careers separate since breaking out together in the 2001 cult-classic “Donnie Darko.” 25 years later, “The Bride” sees Maggie direct her brother for the first time, a milestone she says needed to feel right before committing. “I always had him in mind for Ronnie Reed,” Gyllenhaal explained. “I just needed to make sure that it was really the right thing for us in our hearts before I asked him to do it. When I realized it was, then yeah, I asked him.” Beyond longtime collaborators and family, Gyllenhaal rounded out the supporting cast with a powerhouse group of actresses, including Penélope Cruz and Annette Bening. She also convinced “Dancing With the Stars” alum Julianne Hough to return to acting after an eight-year hiatus. “I was always a performer growing up, but I don’t know if I was ever really an artist,” Hough explained. “Life experience gives you the depth that creates great actors. I’m more passionate about it today than I ever have been because life is not easy.” Hough previously starred in the 2011 remake of “Footloose,” the Nicholas Sparks romance “Safe Haven” and Adam Shankman’s jukebox comedy “Rock of Ages” after winning two seasons of ABC’s reality dancing series. She believes “The Bride!” will inspire women who may feel unheard and unseen. “This is the movie for them. Go and see this movie. You will feel so fucking fired up!” Hough took a step back and smiled, adding, “I am, clearly! I just got hot saying all that.” Perhaps the biggest supporter of Gyllenhaal’s work is Jamie Lee Curtis, who is a longtime family friend and is the godmother to both Maggie and Jake. Amid the press tour for her upcoming series “Scarpetta” with Nicole Kidman, Curtis has repeatedly gushed about “The Bride!” on social media. In one carousel post of red carpet photos from the London premiere, Curtis wrote (in all caps, no less), “PROUD OF MY FAMILY OF CREATIVES!” In another, she called “The Bride!” a “masterpiece” and “original punk feminist opera love story!” “She saw a very early cut of the movie and has been a major supporter ever since,” Gyllenhaal said. “We had a great dinner after that screening. She saw the movie from the very beginning. She picked up what I was putting down.” As Gyllenhaal begins concocting her third directorial feature, could Curtis be part of the picture? “Oh, I’d love it,” the filmmaker said with a smile. “Yeah, I’d love it.” Jump to Comments ‘Scrubs’ Reboot Premieres With 11.4 Million Viewers in Five Days ‘High Potential’ Season 2 Casts ‘This Is Us’ Alum Susan Kelechi Watson in Recurring Role ‘Abbott Elementary’ Renewed for Season 6 at ABC ‘High Potential,’ ‘9-1-1’ and ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ Renewed at ABC JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...