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This Thanksgiving, Hollywood is putting a new spin on Mary Shelley鈥檚 famous story.聽

鈥淰ictor Frankenstein,鈥� which is now in theaters, stars James McAvoy as the famous scientist and Daniel Radcliffe as his assistant, Igor. For those who are most familiar with Gene Wilder dancing or Boris Karloff鈥檚 shambling, this new film has more action-adventure than audiences might expect, judging from the trailers.

In addition, McAvoy says the story may have more background about Victor鈥檚 motivations than moviegoers may be familiar with.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just have a crazy mad scientist and he鈥檚 crazy just because he is,鈥� the actor said of character motivations in an interview. 鈥淗e鈥檚 driven just because he is. He鈥檚 obsessed just because he is. [In this film], you learn a little bit more 鈥榳hy鈥欌�� He can鈥檛 really connect with anybody. He can鈥檛 really see the world. All he sees is what he wants until he meets Igor. He suddenly finds someone who is exceptional and on a par with him in some ways鈥� That becomes the only real connection he鈥檚 had in his life.鈥澛�

In addition, Radcliffe says that the part of the story that audiences may think of first when they hear the name 鈥淔rankenstein鈥� isn鈥檛 central to the narrative.聽

鈥淭he main monster isn鈥檛 created until nearer the end of the movie, whereas traditionally it鈥檚 something that happens earlier,鈥� Radcliffe said in an interview. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 less about what happens to the world after the monster is created and the monster in general. It鈥檚 more about the relationship between Frankenstein and Igor preceding it.鈥澛�

鈥淔rankenstein鈥� also stars 鈥淒ownton Abbey鈥� actress Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott of 鈥淪herlock,鈥� and 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� actor Charles Dance.

Judging by the trailers, the tone of 鈥淔rankenstein鈥� may have been inspired by the hugely successful 鈥淪herlock Holmes鈥� film series, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as the sleuth and Jude Law as his sidekick Watson. 2009鈥檚 鈥淪herlock Holmes鈥� and 2011鈥檚 鈥淪herlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows鈥� told the story of Sherlock and Watson鈥檚 adventures but also featured many action sequences as well as humor.聽

These adaptations are also indicative of a larger trend. Hollywood continues to strive to balance the appeal of old and new when producing films. In 鈥淪herlock鈥� and 鈥淔rankenstein鈥� and in, for example, the live-action adaptations of animated movies that Disney continues to produce, Hollywood attempts to draw in moviegoers with familiar characters and titles that they would recognize but provide a fresh spin so audiences will be curious to see the new version and not feel they鈥檝e seen it all before.聽

Some movies succeed better at this than others. The "Amazing Spider-Man" film series starring Andrew Garfield, for example, was released seven years after a different "Spider-Man" movie with Tobey Maguire. The new movies had new cast members and attempted to showcase different stories, but audiences may have felt the stories were too familiar 鈥� reviews were mixed and the new movies never made as much money at the box office as the original series.

Moviegoers no doubt remember the story of Frankenstein but the movie apparently explores a different aspect of the story than most audience members would have seen already.

Will audiences want to see a new take on the tale over Thanksgiving?