5 Classic Universal Monsters We Need To See On The Big Screen Again!

Universal's collection of Classic Monster movies were a defining part of the Golden Age of horror in the early 1900's, leaving audiences equally captivated and terrified. Nearly a century has passed since the late great Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff brought larger-than-life characters such as The Mummy, Dracula and Frankenstein to the big screen, but their impact on the genre still remains.

Plans for a fully rebooted, interconnected “Dark Universe” were cancelled back in 2017 after the release of The Mummy proved to be a huge financial and critical failure. This caused Universal to move its focus back towards standalone films and allow different filmmakers to put their own spin on the source material.

The first example of this came in 2020, when writer and director Leigh Whannell (Saw, Insidious) brought us a re-imagining of The Invisible Man  – a release that received high praise from critics, and gave us hope for more exciting projects ahead.

Whannell will return to the world of Classic Monsters in 2024 as he looks to have the same success with a revival of The Wolf Man, while visionary filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro is in the process of reanimating Frankenstein.

However, fans looking for more from this world won't have to wait too much longer, as upcoming horror release Abigail is set to re-imagine 1936's Dracula's Daughter. Whether the film will prove to be successful or not remains to be seen, but optimism amongst genre fans runs high with a stellar cast and impressive film-making team taking the helm.

While it is refreshing to see some characters re-imagined for a modern-day audience, a whole library of sinister, unearthly beings remain lost in the archives.

With that in mind, here's 5 Classic Universal Monsters that we need to see on the big screen again!

Brides of Dracula

Debuting in Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel Dracula, the Brides of Dracula are an infamous trio of vampires that reside with Count Dracula in his Transylvanian castle. Described as “seductive vampire sisters,” they are known to use their beauty and charm to entice victims before feeding on them. While the Brides have been popularised in many different iterations throughout the years, they haven't really been given a chance to shine, and now feels the perfect time to right those wrongs.

The potential for a new story focused on the Brides is high with many different creative options available. Leaning into a femme fatale horror theme, a new adaptation could take us back to the time of Stoker's novel or follow suit with Abigail by re-imagining the characters in a modernised way.

Dr. Richard Vollin may not come from the supernatural realm, but he is very deserving of the title “monster”. Debuting in 1935's The Raven, Vollin is a brilliant, but unstable surgeon who has a morbid obsession for the macabre. Also, fascinated with the writings of Edgar Allen Poe, he crafts a cellar filled with instruments of torture, which he uses to unleash his bloodiest desires.

While the character first arrived on the big screen nearly a century ago, it still feels very relevant in today's horror landscape. Comparisons can be made with horror icon John Kramer/Jigsaw, so a new tale focused on Vollin could offer an exciting mesh-up between the worlds of Poe and the Saw franchise. Bringing The Raven back to life feels more appropriate than ever right now, especially after the recent success of Saw X and Mike Flanagan's (Poe based) series The Fall of the House of Usher.

A tale that has spawned generations and made the leap from screen to the big stage, The Phantom of the Opera is a classic tale that still has the potential for more. In its earliest iteration on screen, The Phantom was portrayed as a mad, disfigured composer who “haunts” a Paris Opera House, but a return to the big screen could deliver many different possibilities.

A modernised reboot of the original film could offer up a brutal, blood-soaked, tale of lust and revenge, while a re-imagining, that takes us down the route of a genuine ghost story, could conjure up a haunting spectacle. Paris would be the perfect backdrop for The Phantom's return, but the story could be told in any location, offering filmmakers the chance to craft a visually rich cinematic experience. 

One of the earliest creature-feature films, Creature from the Black Lagoon tells the story of a group of scientists who encounter a strange prehistoric creature in the Amazon jungle. A genre-bending outing that blends the best of horror and science-fiction, the film delivered an entertaining, atmospheric entry that left a lasting impression on audiences.

While the film was impressive for its time, it could benefit from advancements in practical effects, which would allow for a truly formidable return. A reboot or re-imagining of the creature could take inspiration from the DC series “Swamp Thing,” which effectively blended horror and deeper thematic elements – all while showcasing some stunning visuals. 

The character of The Mummy has experienced many ups and downs throughout the years, with the 2017 release still leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of many. Both the 1999 version and its sequel The Mummy Returns delivered underrated gems that focused more on an action-adventure approach, but the true potential lies in delving into the horror aspects. Re-imagining the character under this lens could allow for a genuinely frightening entry that follows suit from the 1933 original.

Many franchises adopt a bigger-is-better approach to sequels and reboots, but drawing things back and telling a more self-contained story can be just as effective, and this route feels more appropriate for the character. Given the extensive lore for Mummies, filmmakers could also revisit any time period connected with this mythology and deliver a film that makes use of its clear thematic tropes. 

Abigail is in UK cinemas from April 19th