Interconnected cinematic universes are part and parcel of moviegoing these days. Of course, Marvel is the “King Daddy” of modern cinematic universes with the MCU. But there’s also the Monsterverse, the Conjuring universe, and the DCEU (now just the DCU). However, the very concept of a cinematic universe began way back in the 1940s with the Universal Monsters. What Universal did back then set the stage for Toho and their kaiju films, and quite literally everything else that came after. But it’s a success that they themselves have yet to replicate, even though others have, with their same characters.
The Universal Monsters films came in phases. And unlike Marvel today, there was never any original intent to create any kind of shared universe. The two films that launched the first phase, Dracula and Frankenstein, were released in the same year in 1931. But the books they were based on were 80 years apart, despite being synonymous with 19th-century Victorian horror. There was never any intention to connect their storylines. Universal did pair its two biggest horror actors together again. Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi starred together in The Black Cat and The Raven. But their signature characters still remained strangers. Perhaps the studio thought the actors were the draw, not the characters.
The original Universal Monsters phase more or less ended with Dracula’s Daughter in 1936, as the censoring Hays Code was now in full effect, and Universal just didn’t want to fight it. But they revived the monsters in 1939 with Son of Frankenstein to some success. Universal found its big new icon with 1941’s The Wolf Man starring Lon Chaney, Jr. But when the time came to formulate a sequel, writer Curt Siodmak (who wrote the original) thought that the most lucrative idea would be to team up the Wolf Man with the previous decade’s biggest horror icon, Frankenstein. And just like that, the very concept of a cinematic universe was born.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man in 1943 wasn’t a critical hit, as ‘40s era reviewers felt this “monster rally” was a cash grab. But it made money, and Universal wanted more of that green. The company brought in Dracula for the next two team-ups, House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula. And this cemented the concept of a shared monster universe to the masses. The finale of this phase was 1948’s Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which included Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi returning as Count Dracula, for the first time in 17 years.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein even included a cameo from the Invisible Man (voiced by Vincent Price!), tying him into the narrative too. This was the last time the original versions of the Universal Monsters would share the screen, despite critics and audiences loving the film. This is maybe because the comedic approach defanged the monsters too much. So, this was the last hurrah of the original shared cinematic universe. This did prove that a shared cinematic universe could not only work but also make lots of money.
Despite Universal not connecting their classic monsters again in a serious way, to millions, those films forever ingrained the idea that they all co-exist in a shared reality. And pop culture capitalized on this concept pretty hard. In the late ’50s/early ‘60s, Universal began selling the concept of their cinematic creatures together as a brand to kids. Mainly with model kits and toys. The world’s most iconic theme song, Bobby Picket’s “The Monster Mash” also further popularized the idea of the monsters not only knowing each other, but partying together.
Then came TV’s The Munsters in 1964, which had sitcom versions of Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man. Only now, reimagined as the family next door. The Monster Cereals from General Mills, tons of cartoon shows, and movies like The Monster Squad ( which is somehow not a Universal release) kept this going for decades. The most recent version of this idea that these particular creatures share a reality is perhaps the Hotel Transylvania movies. But aside from The Munsters, none of these are Universal projects. So what gives?
Universal has tried to reunite its monsters on the big screen, but it almost always lands with a thud. 2004’s Van Helsing united the classic monsters in a new iteration. This film was underwhelming at the box office, so Universal decided to go back to the drawing board. Universal meant for 2017’s The Mummy starring Tom Cruise to launch a new “Dark Universe.” Universal hoped to replicate Marvel’s success with its monsters. They invented the concept after all, so how could anyone say it was a ripoff? But after The Mummy flopped, Universal quietly shelved its plans for the Dark Universe, despite a big splashy announcement.
Part of the reason these efforts at a new shared cinematic universe didn’t land is that in an attempt to modernize, Universal strayed too far from the original looks of the characters from the ‘30s and ‘40s. This is something they’ve corrected with their new Dark Universe, which is a theme park land in Orlando’s Epic Universe and not a series of films. Although somewhat modernized, the creatures roaming the park evoke the look and feel of the classic era, and this shared universe is a hit with fans.
Despite Universal not succeeding in relaunching their classic monsters as a shared universe again on screen, what they did in the Golden Age of Hollywood changed the game. And it spilled over into other genres as well, as years later, DC and Marvel started teaming up their biggest heroes in the pages of comic books. There would be no Godzilla vs. Kong if Frankenstein had not met the Wolf Man, no Freddy vs. Jason either. Universal showed everyone how it was done, and literally changed Hollywood forever. So if you love (or hate) shared cinematic universes, take it up with Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man.