New monster just dropped. Literally.

In a plot twist worthy of Mary Shelley herself, Jacob Elordi has officially replaced Andrew Garfield as the monster in Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein film for Netflix — and the backstory is almost as dramatic as the casting.

Originally, the role was shaped (and we mean sculpted) with Garfield in mind. The design process lasted nine whole months, according to del Toro himself. But when scheduling conflicts took Garfield out of the running, the team had just nine weeks to recast and reset. Enter: Jacob Elordi — all 6’5” of brooding charisma and bone structure.

“Jacob is the most perfect actor for the creature,” del Toro told Vanity Fair. “We have a supernaturally good connection. Very few words. I barely have to say anything, and he just gets it.”

If that sounds intense, it’s because it is. Elordi came in late, started filming while still figuring out the character, and apparently crushed it. “Everything happened at once,” he said. “I was filming while still figuring it all out.” Relatable.

And according to legendary makeup artist Mike Hill, Elordi’s got monster presence: the movement, the lashes, the Karloff-esque stare. “He’s innocent, but housed in a nearly two-metre-tall body. If he wanted to, he could do real damage.” We believe it.

So while we’re all slightly mourning the idea of Garfield in bolts and prosthetics, it seems like Elordi is giving Del Toro exactly what he wants: a creature with soul, shadows, and seriously sharp cheekbones.