Officially it’s cancelled but unofficially still ongoing. Dracula Untold ended on a very “Let the games begin ” Marvel-esque cliffhanger. Mummy ended with Nick only just becoming immortal. Universal Pictures had been trying to repeat the success of the MCU by having interconnected films (even with a “Shield”-like organization known as “Prodigium”), but unfortunately the movies kept failing. A-List celebrity Tom Cruise was the Dark Universe’s last hope, but even with him as the star, the movie failed hard with very negative reception. So after repeat very low box office bombs, an intentional Dark Universe was canned. However, Universal Pictures still holds the rights to make those classic monster films, so they continued to do so. The recent remakes (Invisible Man 2020, Renfield 2023, Last Voyage of the Demeter, etc.) are now more focused on being individual stories rather than building a connected universe. They’re no longer alluding to any other monster films and characters, but they also aren’t retconning and erasing them either. (Note: Dracula Untold was technically removed from the current Dark Universe, so Nicholas Cage’s Dracula does not retcon Luke Evans’ Dracula.) It’s now completely up to interpretation whether the current Dark Universe films are still connected or not. As you can see by this sub and the fandom wiki, there are many that still believe they are. Basically, an intentional Dark Cinematic Universe died with The Mummy in 2017. But the Dark Universe unofficially still lives on because UP will continue to make these movies, and while they won’t reference each other, they will not step over or erase each other. It’s a neutral area. Answer from strawbebb on reddit.com
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MovieWeb
movieweb.com › home › movie lists › dark universe: all the canceled films planned
Dark Universe: All the Canceled Films Planned
February 1, 2024 - While the shared universe did not happen as planned, we can still glean from this not just what could have been but what might still be from these headlines. Here is a breakdown of all the canceled films in Universal's Dark Universe and how the brand has, like a good movie monster, returned from the dead.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/darkuniverse › is the dark universe cancelled?
r/DarkUniverse on Reddit: Is the Dark Universe Cancelled?
September 15, 2024 -

Hi, im trying to figure out if this universe was actually cancelled. Ive looked online and i get different answers, on the Dark Universe fandom it says the plan was shelved after the failure of 2017’s The Mummy but then goes to say 2020’s The Invisible Man, 2023’s Renfield, and 2024’s Lisa Frankinstin and Abigail are part of the Universe! Now we have next year’s Wolfman movie. So which is it?

Top answer
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Officially it’s cancelled but unofficially still ongoing. Dracula Untold ended on a very “Let the games begin 😏” Marvel-esque cliffhanger. Mummy ended with Nick only just becoming immortal. Universal Pictures had been trying to repeat the success of the MCU by having interconnected films (even with a “Shield”-like organization known as “Prodigium”), but unfortunately the movies kept failing. A-List celebrity Tom Cruise was the Dark Universe’s last hope, but even with him as the star, the movie failed hard with very negative reception. So after repeat very low box office bombs, an intentional Dark Universe was canned. However, Universal Pictures still holds the rights to make those classic monster films, so they continued to do so. The recent remakes (Invisible Man 2020, Renfield 2023, Last Voyage of the Demeter, etc.) are now more focused on being individual stories rather than building a connected universe. They’re no longer alluding to any other monster films and characters, but they also aren’t retconning and erasing them either. (Note: Dracula Untold was technically removed from the current Dark Universe, so Nicholas Cage’s Dracula does not retcon Luke Evans’ Dracula.) It’s now completely up to interpretation whether the current Dark Universe films are still connected or not. As you can see by this sub and the fandom wiki, there are many that still believe they are. Basically, an intentional Dark Cinematic Universe died with The Mummy in 2017. But the Dark Universe unofficially still lives on because UP will continue to make these movies, and while they won’t reference each other, they will not step over or erase each other. It’s a neutral area.
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Dark Universe was in fact canceled. Lisa Frankenstein is not a DU film. But fun fact, Lisa Frankenstein takes place in the same universe as Jennifer's Body. I believe the list shown in your post is from the fandom page and is unofficial.
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ScreenRant
screenrant.com › home › movies › movie lists › every canceled dark universe movie explained (& why the universal project failed so badly)
Every Canceled Dark Universe Movie Explained (& Why The Universal Project Failed So Badly)
January 1, 2025 - WB's DCEU was canceled in favor of a reboot; Fox's X-Men franchise was finished after Disney bought the studio; and Sony can't seem to figure out how to make their Spider-Man Universe successful.
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Dark Universe Wiki
dark-universe-universal-monsters.fandom.com › wiki › Dark_Universe
Dark Universe | Dark Universe Wiki | Fandom
1 week ago - The Mummy intended as the fourth launch effort failed and the entire concept was shelved until Universal Studios' 2025 revamp reintroduced Dark Universe as the portal for its classic monsters.
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IMDb
imdb.com › news › ni64213763
7 Dark Universe Movies That Didn't Happen Because Of 2017's The Mummy Failure - IMDb
Other scrapped films in the Dark Universe included Bride of Frankenstein, Frankenstein's Monster, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Dracula Untold 2, and a remake of Van Helsing.
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Collider
collider.com › home › movie features › what went wrong with universal's dark universe?
What Went Wrong With Universal's Dark Universe?
February 12, 2024 - Given that her first word was "Disney", Lisa Laman was "doomed" from the start to be a film geek! ... The Dark Universe, an attempt to create a cinematic universe based on Universal Monsters, failed to gain momentum and was ultimately abandoned.
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ScreenRant
screenrant.com › home › movies › movie lists › 7 dark universe movies that didn't happen because of 2017's the mummy failure
7 Dark Universe Movies That Didn't Happen Because Of 2017's The Mummy Failure
March 3, 2024 - The failure of 2017's The Mummy saw Universal's planned Dark Universe fall at the first hurdle, meaning seven movies were canceled as a result. The Mummy was imagined by Universal as the first installment in their own shared universe, based ...
Director   Alex Kurtzman
Actors   Tom CruiseJavier BotetAnnabelle Wallis
Find elsewhere
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Universal_Monsters
Universal Monsters - Wikipedia
5 days ago - The studio revealed a slate of films, but following the poor critical reception and underwhelming box office performance of The Mummy (2017), Universal cancelled pre-production that had begun on Bride of Frankenstein which was to be the next ...
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Dark_universe
Dark universe - Wikipedia
May 26, 2025 - Dark Universe (novel), a 1961 science fiction novel by Daniel F. Galouye · Dark Universe (film), a 1993 science-fiction film directed by Steve Latshaw · The Dark Universe (film), a planned DC Comics comic book film based on Justice League Dark · Dark Universe (franchise), a canceled shared ...
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Quora
quora.com › What-happened-to-Universal-Studios-Dark-Universe-film-series
What happened to Universal Studios’ 'Dark Universe' film series?’ - Quora
Answer (1 of 2): Universal attempted to jump-start the dark universe twice with The Wolfman remake and Dracula Untold, since neither of those did particularly well they thought about starting it over with the 2017 Mummy movie. Of course since they decided to throw in numerous easter eggs, connect...
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ScreenCrush
screencrush.com › rip-dark-universe
Universal’s Dark Universe Is Dead After Just One Movie
January 28, 2019 - The tweet above announcing the start of the #DarkUniverse was the last tweet ever sent from the @darkuniverse account. Now Variety says Universal has decided to go in a new direction with the Invisible Man, hiring writer/director Leigh Whannell and producer Jason Blum, to helm a new version. As part of the movie, Variety says, Universal “tabled the idea of an interconnected universe and is reassessing how to keep the enduring characters relevant for a new generation.”
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Quora
quora.com › Why-did-Universal-Studios-Dark-Universe-fail
Why did Universal Studios Dark Universe fail? - Quora
Answer (1 of 7): They ran before they could crawl. With the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, every Film studios wanted to emulate that success, most studio failed because they either didn’t care, or didn’t follow Marvel’s method. It took Marvel several films to build an interconnecting...
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Den of Geek
denofgeek.com › home › how hubris undid the dark universe movies
How Hubris Undid the Dark Universe Movies | Den of Geek
October 10, 2023 - Of course, none of that would come to fruition, and even the “Welcome to Prodigium” viral website that Universal had auspiciously set up to sow interest in the Dark Universe’s long-term plans now ignominiously calls up an unclaimed domain page. It’s a sorry state that resulted from a dysfunctional dynamic that became too common in the film industry, which typically gives in to impatience and a lack of understanding of the Marvel movie formula of starting small (like with 2008’s Iron Man) with compelling characters worthy enough for the audience’s continued investment before subtly teasing disciplined franchise plans.
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Quora
quora.com › Universal-Pictures-cancelled-their-plans-for-a-Dark-Universe-What-characters-would-be-a-good-fit-for-DC-and-Marvel-if-they-each-created-their-own-version-of-the-Dark-Universe
Universal Pictures cancelled their plans for a 'Dark Universe.' What characters would be a good fit for DC and Marvel if they each created their own version of the Dark Universe? - Quora
Answer: Let’s start with DC: ZATANNA She’s a magician on the fringe of our world and the next, choosing to keep our world safe everything that threatens it. If it’s weird and supernatural, she fights it. Ever seen “Stranger Things”? She’s the person you’d grab to help fight anything ...
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CBR
cbr.com › home › movies › movie features › universal's most controversial decision is reanimated in the best way
Universal's Most Controversial Decision Is Reanimated in the Best Way
June 27, 2024 - Although blockbuster remakes of The Invisible Man and The Bride of Frankenstein were planned, The Mummy's critical failure suggested that the projects were canceled, raising doubts about the Dark Universe's future.
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/Film
slashfilm.com › 1829012 › dark-universe-theme-park-cancelled-horror-franchise-what-could-have-been
The Dark Universe Theme Park Land Is Everything The Canceled Horror Franchise Should've Been - SlashFilm
April 7, 2025 - The Dark Universe was quietly abandoned. Those who remember it, often with a head shake or a chuckle, are those who use it as a perfect example of a cart being put before a horse. So those same movie fans can be forgiven for scoffing when it was revealed that Epic Universe, Universal Orlando Resort's brand new theme park, would have a land called Dark Universe.
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Collider
collider.com › home › movie news › 7 cinematic universes that never got off the ground
7 Cinematic Universes That Never Got Off the Ground
March 2, 2020 - One of the most high-profile cinematic universes that crashed and burned was the Dark Universe. While Guillermo del Toro was offered and turned down the chance to spearhead the development of Universal monster movies in 2007, it wasn’t until 2013, a year after The Avengers, that Universal Pictures pulled the trigger on creating an interconnected series of films.
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ScreenRant
screenrant.com › home › movies › movie features › every upcoming universal monster movie (& which were canceled)
Every Upcoming Universal Monster Movie (& Which Were Canceled)
April 11, 2024 - However, it was described as an attempt to bring Universal’s classic monster movie characters to a new generation (via The Wrap). The title might also suggest that the monsters in question will be less terrifying and more adorable. The cancelation of the Dark Universe saw a number of announced Universal Monster movies canceled before they ever really got going.