Victor Frankenstein stars James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe: We wanted to work together

The two actors star as Dr Victor Frankenstein and hunchbacked clown Igor in Victor Frankenstein, Paul McGuigan’s twist on Mary Shelley’s legendary 1818 novel.

“We weren’t avoiding it. I think this is the first opportunity to work together,” the former Harry Potter star explained.

“I’d already read the script when James’s name came up. It was very much one of those reactions of, ‘Yeah, but will we get him?’ I thought he might be doing X-Men.”

Scottish actor James added: “It was quite easy [for me]. As soon as they offered it to me, I was like, ‘Yep’.”

Director McGuigan, who has worked on episodes of BBC series Sherlock, has noted the story is very much a platonic love story between the two men, something James agrees with.

“It’s about two people who are totally isolated – one of them had it self-imposed and the other one has had it beaten into him and has been abused and almost sort of tortured really, and made more like a beast than a man. And yet they have a commonality and they don’t have a single friend in the world,” he said.

“Something in their shared interests helps them find a commonality. That’s precious in this world.”

The 36-year-old star continued: “Also, in storytelling, in theatre, film or books, I’m always more interested in the story if it’s told from the point of view of a relationship, rather than one man alone in the world, gone mad.

“I’d rather two people in the world gone mad, two people who have got each other to try and figure it out. It’s always more interesting to me when you see people connect, rather than one person standing stoic.”

Victor Frankenstein is in cinemas now.