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‘Universal Monsters’ Get Shrunk Down for Funko’s New Mystery Mini Series

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If your wallet still has some money left in it after last week’s announcement of Funko’s Ad Icons Mystery Minis series (featuring all of the General Mills Monster cereal characters including the rare Yummy Mummy and Fruit Brute), it won’t for long, as Funko announced today on twitter that the Universal Monsters would be getting an entire series of minis dedicated to them.

Coming Soon: Universal Monsters Mystery Minis!https://t.co/QGLjHhH22m pic.twitter.com/Eeyb7W9VfA

— Funko (@OriginalFunko) May 17, 2019 read more

Classic Universal Monsters Coming to Halloween Horror Nights

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Per an announcement from the resorts’ web site, Universal’s classic monsters will come to life in this year’s Halloween Horror Nights mazes at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort in CA and FL respectively.

Based on the premier cinematic monsters from the studio that invented the horror films, Universal’s terrifying experiences on both coasts will take the frightening and legendary ensemble and bring them face-to-face with guests at the resorts’ featured Halloween events. read more

Universal In Talks With Elisabeth Moss for ‘The Invisible Man’

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While there may no longer be hope for the Dark Universe, the standalone movies continue on full-steam ahead.  In an exclusive update, Variety is reporting that Elisabeth Moss will star in the re-imagining of the Universal Studios classic monster story The Invisible Man (with an assist from Blumhouse Productions.)  Man (based on the 1897 H.G. Wells novel) was initially slated to be part of Universal’s “Dark Universe”, a series of interconnected films that would reunite all of the original “Universal Monster” characters into a single cinematic universe.  However, the box office failure of the Tom Cruise-led reboot of The Mummy in 2017 forced the studio to rethink its plans altogether and to seek a different route to bring back Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein, and all of the beloved horror icons. read more

Tristan Eaton Creates Massive Universal Classic Monsters Mural on Universal Studios Lot

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Universal Studios decided to spruce up their lot with a tribute to several of their all time greats. Nothing says “monster” like a 50×200 foot mural dedicated to the most famous ghouls of all time, and street artist Tristan Eaton has really delivered on the Universal Studios lot! The prolific painter began his journey in mid-January, working from a boom lift nearly 25 feet in the air; and now he’s ready to unveil his work to the public.

The Hollywood Reporter documented Eaton’s work in their latest issue, and they featured several interesting facts about his newest project. Eaton says he went through about 40 cans of spray paint per day as he crafted beautiful testaments to Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Donna Langley, Universal’s film chairperson, said they chose spray paint for the project because the classic monsters, “were the outsiders, outcasts, rebels and outlaws of their time.” For Eaton, the massive image is a labor of love: “I’m working my butt off for this because I love it so much.” read more

‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’ Star, Julie Adams Passes Away

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We have sad news to report as Julie Adams passed away yesterday in Los Angeles, California at the age of 92. Adams swam her way into the heart of ever horror fan as Kay Lawrence in the 1954 Universal classic, Creature from the Black Lagoon. Adams played alongside Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Antonia Moreno, Ben Chapman, and Ricou Browning. The film is considered the final chapter in the original classic monster flicks hailing from Universal.

Born in Waterloo, Iowa on October 17, 1926 Adams moved to California at the age of 19 to pursue a career in acting. She landed her first role as a starlet in Paramount’s Red, Hot and Blue which debuted in 1949. She would go on to appear in Tickle Me, The Last Movie, Horizons West, The Mississippi Gambler, The Private War of Major Benson, and The Killer Inside Me. read more

Universal Monsters to Return to the Silver Screen with Leigh Whannell, Blumhouse ‘The Invisible Man’ Film

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On May 8th, 2017, I stood up on my Horror News Network soapbox and declared that, “Universal Monsters Fans Deserve Their Very Own La La Land.” In my article, I recapped the various factors which made La La Land such a tremendous success, and dreamed of a world where the same level of respect and considerations were given to the classic Universal Monsters we all love so dearly:

“…the formula kind of makes sense, right? Find a young writer/director who is passionate about the history of film but has an eye for contemporary conventions, and- voila!- you have a movie that resonates with fans and critics alike! read more

Top Producers Depart Universal Monsters ‘Dark Universe’ Franchise as Studio Changes Course

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Dark Universe, we hardly knew ye! After the disappointing performance of Tom Cruise’s The Mummy this summer (the film earned a paltry $80 million at the domestic box office against a production budget of $125 million), there was speculation that Universal’s ambitious Dark Universe franchise would not proceed as planned. Then came the news that the studio had pulled the plug on pre-production of Bill Condon’s Bride of Frankenstein. Now, things have gone from bad to worse! The Hollywood Reporter just broke the news that writers/producers Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan have officially left the project. Kurtzman directed The Mummy, and the duo were initially brought on board to oversee production of the entire cinematic universe, which once promised to feature the likes of Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, and Anjelina Jolie in future installments. read more

Will The Mummy Send Universal’s Dark Universe Back to the Shadows?

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As detailed by HNN’s John Evan’s on Friday, The Mummy’s (2017) abysmal critical reception led to a domestic financial disaster at the box office with an estimated $32.2 million in ticket sales, amounting to a lot less than the average Pharaoh’s treasure.  While the studio is trumpeting the global box office as a “victory” with an estimated $141 million so far, The Mummy’s domestic reception could not have been worse for a film that was supposed to usher in a “new age of god’s and monsters.” read more

Universal Reportedly Wants Angelina Jolie and Dwayne Johnson for ‘Dark Universe’ Franchise

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Have you ever wanted to see Angelina Jolie as the Bride of Frankenstein, or Dwayne Johnson as the Wolf Man? Well, you may be in luck! The Hollywood Reporter recently crunched the numbers needed for Universal’s upcoming The Mummy to be considered a success (a $40 million domestic opening weekend, for starters). In their report, they state that, if all goes well, the studio is currently eyeing the two megastars for future installments in the franchise. 

The studio has reportedly wanted Angelina Jolie for quite a while to play the titular role in Bill Condon’s upcoming Bride of Frankenstein. However, formal negotiations have not yet begun. This is likely due to the fact that Jolie commands a hefty fee and the studio isn’t quite sure if their action-fueled reboots of their silver screen classics will become financial hits. read more

Stiched Author Mariah McCourt and Artist Aaron Alexovich: The Horror News Network Interview

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Graphic novel sales continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, and one of the fastest growing sub-groups is young female readers. Traditionally, teen girls were an important demographic for Manga sales, but in recent years the likes of  Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Sisters) and Noelle Stevenson (Nimona, LumberJanes) have expanded the medium beyond traditional super hero fare and Japanese imports.  Papercutz (one of the leading publishers of graphic novels for younger audiences) has just launched a new imprint focusing on this quickly expanding demographic called Charmz. One of their first offerings, entitled Stitched, is sure to make young horror fans happy.  Horror News Network  had the chance to speak to both the writer (Mariah McCourt) and artist (Aaron Alexovich) of the new title, and they were able to answer questions about their story, the changing face of graphic novel readership, and, of course, horror. read more