Unmasking Netflix's I Am Frankelda: Every Voice Behind the Shadows
Ahead of its Netflix debut, Mexican stop-motion chiller I Am Frankelda unveils its voice cast—here’s who’s voicing whom.
Netflix is about to drop a very specific kind of catnip for animation fans: a stop-motion dark fantasy horror musical from Mexico that is being billed as the country’s first stop-motion feature — and it ’s an independent production to boot. It’s called 'I Am Frankelda', it expands the cult series 'Frankelda’s Book of Spooks', and it hits Netflix on June 12. Yes, a horror musical. I’m in.
'In 19th-century Mexico, a gifted writer journeys into her subconscious to face the monsters she’s created.'
What this movie is
'I Am Frankelda' is a feature-length continuation of the anthology series, but instead of bite-size scares, this one dives deep: a moody, stylized plunge into a writer’s mind where her own nightmares are trying to take over. The hook is twofold — the tactile stop-motion look and the music — which gives this a very particular flavor we don’t see often in features.
Who made it
The film is written, directed, and produced by brothers Arturo and Roy Ambriz, who Netflix has called protégés of Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro. Quick note, because it’s been confusing: you may see headlines calling this 'Guillermo del Toro’s I Am Frankelda'. It’s not his film. The Ambriz brothers are the filmmakers; del Toro is a champion of the work, not the director.
Behind the camera, Irene Melis and Fernanda G. Manzur serve as directors of photography. Beto Petiches is the animation director — crucial when you’re moving every frame by hand — and production design comes from Ana Coronilla and Bruce Zick. It’s a serious craft lineup.
The story (and why it isn’t just spooky for spooky’s sake)
Nineteenth-century Mexico. Frankelda is a writer whose unsettling tales get dismissed and suppressed. She doesn’t quit — and then the universe calls her bluff: she’s pulled into her own head, where the creatures she invented are very real. Her guide is Herneval, a prince caught between dreams and nightmares, who pushes her to stitch the worlds back together before both unravel. Meanwhile, an ominous author named Procustes and his crew angle to seize control. Underneath the scares, the movie is playing with a big, chewy theme: the bond (and tug-of-war) between creator and creation.
The cast (stacked with legends, creators, and family )
One of the coolest choices here is the voice roster. It mixes beloved Mexican voice-acting vets with the filmmakers themselves — and even family — stepping into the booth. Here’s who’s who:
- Mireya Mendoza as Frankelda
- Arturo Mercado Jr. as Herneval
- Luis Leonardo Suarez as Procustes
- Habana Zoe as Young Frankelda
- Juan Pablo Monterrubio as Young Herneval
- Beto Castillo as Rey Ficturo
- Magda Giner as Totolina/Abuela María
- Anahí Allué as Totolina’s singing voice
- Sergio Carranza as Don Coco
- Laura Torres as Chupasangre
- Carlos Segundo as Ceimuth
- Karla Falcón as Aluxastli
- Lourdes Ambriz as Siren’s singing voice
- Idzi Dutkiewicz as Mitelitas
- Roy Ambriz as Dubium
- Arturo Ambriz as Timet
- Antonio Badía as Otovejuno
- Jesse Conde as Editor Damastes
- Assira Abbate as Tochina
- Gaby Cárdenas as Reina Veritena
- Oliver Díaz as Young Augusto Damastes
Trailer and release
The first trailer landed May 28, 2026 ( DiscussingFilm and Netflix both shared it), and it leans into the film’s eerie fairytale tone and handmade texture — lots of ornate miniatures, lots of mood. 'I Am Frankelda' premieres June 12 on Netflix.
Why this matters
Beyond the milestone — a Mexican stop-motion feature, independently made — the movie looks like a swing: songs, scares, and a story about authorship that isn’t just window dressing. Also, I love that the directors aren’t just calling the shots; they’re voicing characters too. It’s a family affair in the most literal, DIY way, and that tends to make films like this feel personal in the best possible sense.