Is Netflix’s ‘Creature’ Based on a Book or a Real Story?

Netflix is kicking off its Halloween repertoire this year with an upcoming Turkish miniseries titled simply ‘Creature.’ And while the name itself implies a lot of mystery and a lot of unexplained phenomena, the possibility of it all being really is what adds to the scary atmosphere. Watching the trailer, the series does feel kind of familiar, and this is why a lot of fans are wondering. Is ‘Creature’ based on a true story or a book? Let’s explain. 

What is Netflix’s ‘Creature’ about? 

If you didn’t have time to check out Netflix’s slate of upcoming movies and series, then you’ve probably missed ‘Creature.’ The miniseries was directed by Çağan Irmak, one of the most famous writers and directors in Turkey. The series stars Taner Ölmez, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, and Sifanur Gül. And you’ve probably figured by now that the series is Turkish, but don’t let that discourage you from giving it a chance. It really holds the potential to recreate some universal themes and messages in a beautiful manner. 

‘Creature,’ originally titled ‘Yaratilan,’ is set in Ottoman-era Istanbul, one of the most exciting periods in Turkish history, but it’s not going to focus on wars, sultans, or intrigues instead. It’s going to follow a young medical student called Ziya. Ziya is sick and tired of seeing people he cares about die. He feels wretched and like he’s not doing a proper job as a doctor, considering that he keeps losing patients to various plagues and injuries that were commonplace in the era. 

Ziya eventually crosses the line between what’s ethical and allowed and what’s not as he joins forces with Ihsan, another medical professional with dubious goals and motivations. Ziya eventually starts using unproven and untested methods to cure people, and it doesn’t end well. Luckily, the series is not based on a true story, but the premise does sound familiar because it was inspired by one of the most famous literary works of all time. 

‘Creature’ was based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

The miniseries was based on a popular fictional novel written by Mary Shelley, titled Frankenstein, which was adapted and referenced in numerous other fictional works, both literary and cinematic in origin. We don’t know to what extent the adaptation will be faithful, but from what the synopsis gives away, we roughly know what to expect. 

We can expect a lot of ambition and hubris, something that both Frankenstein and Ziya share. From the brief synopsis, we can see that Ziya is unwilling to deal with the consequences of his work, and he starts breaking the boundaries of what is moral and what is not. It will also toy with isolation and alienation. With prejudice and discrimination, just like the original work. 

The trailer is quite gloomy and will likely bring us a much darker atmosphere than the original novel did. One of the greatest themes of ‘Frankenstein’ was the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, and this is likely what’s going to ease us into the story. 

So, if you’re already getting into the Halloween spirits, ‘Creature’ will be available for streaming on October 20, 2023, and I highly recommend you give it a try. 

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