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‘The Invisible Man’ Gets R-Rating

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As if we didn’t see it coming, Universal’s latest monster flick The Invisible Man has been given an R-Rating by the Motion Picture Association of America.

The projected rating is for “some strong bloody violence and language.”

The film’s premise straight from Universal Pictures follows Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) who is trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist. She escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid). But when Cecilia’s abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see. read more

‘Invisible Man’ Trailer Now Visible

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Fans of Universal Monsters may want to disappear after watching the first trailer for Leigh Whannell’s (Saw, Insidious) adaptation of the 1933 James Whale film, starring Claude Rains as the robe wearing mastermind.

Judging by the trailer, it appears that Blumhouse has gone the teen horror route with Invisible Man, veering as far away from the failed attempt at a new Universal Monsters franchise, 2017’s disastrous The Mummy.  Last January, Variety reported that  the new Universal Monsters films would succeed “By not mandating a unified, connected universe of monster stories, the studio will be able to open up the characters to filmmakers who will be inspired to create their own unique stories.” read more

Guillermo del Toro Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame Star; Offers to Finance One for Legendary Monster Make-Up Artist Jack Pierce

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Oscar winner and fan favorite writer/director Guillermo del Toro (known as a super fan of monsters, horror, and Disney’s Haunted Mansion) received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, and, true to his nature, took the opportunity to promote one of the trail blazers of make-up design, Universal Studios’ Jack Pierce.

In his acceptance speech, del Toro recalled visiting the Walk of Fame as a boy in the 1970s, and looking for the stars for “…Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Alfred Hitchcock, you know, and one that I didn’t find and I will make the point to nominate and finance myself is Jack Pierce because he was one of the greatest make-up men and creators in our genre and he has never been honored with one.” read more

‘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