Universal’s posse of freaks had it all: great costume design, scary moments, and performances cranked all the way to eleven. That’s why love for the Universal Monsters still endures. That classic era, running from the 1920s to the 1950s, really covered the full spectrum of tone and genre – from genuine tragedy, like The Wolf Man or The Phantom Of The Opera, to the flat-out bizarre, with Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein or Invisible Agent (a piece of wartime propaganda where the son of the Invisible Man becomes – you guessed it! – a secret agent). These characters even shared the screen, paving the way for crossover films. While time has inevitably revealed cracks in some of these old horror pictures, they remain flat-out iconic. Frankly, they deserve a proper comeback.
Fast forward over 50 years, and there’s still an outpouring of love for them. The monsters have been revived on the big screen multiple times, from the more adventure-leaning The Mummy films starring Brendan Fraser, to Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man – a clever reframing of the character through the lens of a toxic relationship, reimagined in a way that genuinely scares modern audiences. But despite some individual successes, this misfit group of monsters haven’t shared the screen in a long time.
Universal did try to get the band back together not too long ago. In the wake of The Avengers, there was an idea to bring these misfits together in a world of gods and monsters, the ‘Dark Universe’. But it didn’t exactly go to plan. Announced before the train had even left the station, Universal cast Johnny Depp as the Invisible Man, Javier Bardem as Frankenstein’s Monster, and had Bill Condon lined up to direct a new take on The Bride Of Frankenstein. Except, the first film out the gate, 2017’s The Mummy starring Tom Cruise (doing fewer insane stunts than usual) was a misfire, already largely forgotten. Its biggest cultural impact might be that time Universal released a trailer without any music and effects and featured Cruise screaming as a plane silently fell out of the sky.
There are various reasons why The Mummy never quite worked as a monster franchise-starter. Its biggest sin is, arguably, that it completely forgets to be a monster movie – instead leaning into quippy action fare, with every line out of Cruise’s mouth sounding like it was lifted straight from an MCU script. Add production issues, critical backlash, and commercial underperformance, and it’s safe to say the Dark Universe rose from the tomb and promptly lay there, dead on arrival. It wasn’t scary enough to be a monster movie franchise, nor fun enough to kickstart a bunch of crowd-pleasers. But just because that Dark Universe didn’t work, doesn’t mean another couldn’t.
Bring us a big, scary, fun Dark Universe that fans can get behind.
There’s a way to make the Universal Monsters work, going back to basics. First things first: get the creatures right, with updated effects and costuming. Give us a genuinely unnerving Creature From The Black Lagoon that taps into the original’s themes of primal instinct and unrequited love — think The Shape Of Water, but way darker. Or a bold, emotional Frankenstein adaptation that leans into the terror of ‘the other’. Each Universal Monsters film had its own tone. These new ones can, too. Amp up the fun factor; aim for the bonkers heights of Malignant, or Ready Or Not. Where a lot of the mid-2010 monster films failed is because they were so self-serious (Dracula Untold, we’re looking at you). Imagine a haunted house film where these monsters are unleashed on poor, unsuspecting visitors – a true monster mash.
There’s already proof that it can work. Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park includes its own Dark Universe – a land dedicated to the Universal Monsters, that reimagines and updates the classic characters with love and care. It’s already a hit with fans, with queues wrapping around corners to meet Frankenstein and the Bride, or a crowd-pleasing Invisible Man, with his classically quippy, funny personality. The land feels incredibly fresh, yet deeply respectful of the classics. There’s rich lore and layered references baked into its DNA, from the Burning Blazes Tavern (a nod to Frankenstein’s finale), to small touches like a cocktail named ‘Monocane,’ a clever wink to the OG Invisible Man. Oh, and at the centre? A big ol’ gothic mansion. Chef’s kiss.
Most importantly, it features a ride – ‘Monsters Unchained’ – that imagines a shared universe where all the monsters revolt against Victoria Frankenstein, a scary and campy riot that channels the third act of Cabin In The Woods. It’s a full-throttle experience through a house of horrors, with all the monsters on the loose. The ride is packed with updated designs: a Wolf Man that’s genuinely terrifying, and a Dracula riffing on Bela Lugosi – a theatrical performance that wouldn’t be out of place on the West End. It also leans into the weird – with a classic-looking Mummy literally bursting through the ceiling, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon looking the most freakily humanoid it ever has. You even get a chance to see Frankenstein and the Wolf Man go toe-to-toe, all with beautiful modern effects. In short: it rules. Every monster reveal is a delight, and it sticks the landing with a bloody final kill perfectly suited to a good monster flick. Fun, scary, and dialled up to 11, it encapsulates everything a cinematic Dark Universe could – and should – be.
It’s clear that monster fever is rife right now. Since the beasts are all in the public domain, they’ve found life elsewhere. We’ve got a Frankenstein coming from Guillermo del Toro, which will no doubt be oozing gothic vibes. Maggie Gyllenhaal is taking on The Bride — as a musical, no less. Plus, we’re also getting a new version of The Mummy from Evil Dead Rise’s Lee Cronin, which promises to dial back on the adventure and once again bring the scares. But it’s time for Universal to unite them again. Bring us a big, scary, fun Dark Universe that fans can get behind. Let’s bring these characters back to the big screen the right way, and give audiences a chance to fall in love all over again. They might be monsters. Some might even technically be dead. But they’re still very much alive.