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?

Hello everybody, and welcome back to my revisions of Universal Pictures' Dark Universe. Today, we're going to take a look at reimagining 2014's Dracula Untold.

Dracula Untold had a long development. Starting with the title 'Dracula: Year Zero', the origin film for the famed monster was attached to director Alex Proyas and star Sam Worthington. It wasan't pitched as the start of a shared monsters universe, but by the time production kicked into high gear the film (retitled Dracula Untold) underwent reshoots to help serve as the first film in the burgeoning Dark Universe.

Unfortunately, Dracula Untold not only met with middling reviews but failed to draw a sizable crowd at the box office. A pity, as while the movie did suffer some issues I personally found it very fun.

So, piggybacking off my previous post pitching a rebooted adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, here is a revision of the film. A dark, tragic and yes bloody origin story for arguably the most evil of the classic Universal monsters.

*Also, to clarify something brought up in a previous post, I'm scrapping a tentative idea to have Count Dracula's origins start as an original character. He will indeed be based on the historical Vlad III.

A monster is born in...

DRACULA: ORIGINS

Series showrunner-

Bryan Fuller

Music by-

Ramin Djawadi

Starring-

Christian Bale as Vlad III/Dracula

Dominic Cooper as Radu III

Samantha Barks as Justina Szilágyi

Sarah Gadon as Mirena

Art Parkinson as Ingeras

William Houston as Cazan

Noah Huntley as Captain Petru

Luke Evans as Basarab III

Diarmaid Murtagh as Dumitru

Zach McGowan as Shkelgim

Paul Kaye as Brother Lucian

with Thor Kristjansson as Bright Eyes

and Willem Dafoe as Orlok, the Master Vampire

and Noomi Rapace as Baba Yaga

****

The Premise

Scrapping Dracula Untold's status as a movie, instead picture it as a three-part limited series on TV.

The three episodes are-

Part I- Order of the Dragon

Part II- Creatures of the Night

Part III- Son of the Devil

The major plot points are as follows.

A darker Dracula

In 1477 AD, Prince Vlad III "Dracula" has restored his rule as Voivode of Wallachia after several bloody conflicts.

A historical recap elaborates on his history as a hostage raised by the Ottoman Turks, who came to hate the Muslim empire and its new ruler, Sultan Mehmed II. Returning home, he's engaged in terror campaigns to solidify his rule and oppose the Turks' demand for tribute and soldiers.

He is respected by many for his fierce efforts to repel the Ottoman Empire, but feared for his ruthless method of torture and execution, with many mocking him as "Lord Impaler". His closest companions being his advisor Cazan and his fellow knights in the chivalric Order of the Dragon.

Vlad's family life is also unstable, as he is stuck in a loveless arranged marriage with noblewoman Justina Szilágyi of Hungary. His first wife died years ago, leaving him emotionally stunted. Vlad is currently involved in an affair with the housemaid Mirena, who in secret bore him a son named Ingeras.

Justina frequently holds correspondence with Mihnead, Vlad's son from his first marriage who lives far away.

Frequently, Vlad attends church to pray for forgiveness for his many crimes, holding onto some desperate hope that his soul may one day be redeemed.

In general, as per historical record Vlad is a deeply troubled, vengeful man who walks a fine line between national hero and mass murdering psychopath. His fateful decision to become vampire sends him on the path to sacrifice everything he loves for revenge, and a lust for the power he sees as rightfully his.

Radu III, Vlad's brother, is the primary antagonist

Adding an extra layer of tragedy is Vlad's conflict with his brother, Radu. Raised as a hostage alongside Vlad, Radu chooses to pledge his loyalty to the Empire and its sultan, with whom he becomes a close companion. Mehmed is an unseen character, a looming existential threat that takes a backseat to the conflict between the two brothers.

Vlad holds a deep-seated bitterness towards Radu, as while his handsome and well-liked brother enjoys a privileged position in the Ottoman court while still calling himself a devout Christian, Vlad is feared for what he sees as necessary evils committed to defend their ancestral home.

Radu sees himself as agent of a power that will bring stability and prosperity to Wallachia and neighboring regions. He even calls Vlad out for his own hypocrisy, reminding him how it was the Ottomans themselves who first helped Vlad ascend to the Wallachian throne before their alliance broke down.

The film's conflict is sparked when Mehmed demand annual tribute and an offer of 1,000 boys to be trained in the esteemed Janissary corps. After a tense meeting in which Radu attempts to put his foot down with Vlad and bury their feud, Vlad rejects the truce and kills Radu's messengers when his own bastard Ingeras is to be taken as well.

Seeing his brother as a violent madman, Radu pledges to depose him and seat the rival Wallachian claimant Basarab III on the throne.

The Master Vampire and Baba Yaga play a bigger role

Upon seeking out the Master Vampire, a Dark Ages warlord who made a pact with the Dark and its servants, Vlad confers with him several times over the course of the three episodes that make up this reimagined series.

Vlad is not only granted vampiric powers to battle Radu, but also a knowledge of alchemy and sorcery that gives him control over creatures of the night (bats, rats, wolves). The Master Vampire encourages his worst impulses, urging Vlad to fight by any means necessary and spill blood for its own sake.

Also leading Vlad on is the wandering cannibal witch Baba Yaga (who existed in an early draft of Dracula Untold the film), who at one point captures Ingeras to try and provoke Vlad to give in to his thirst for blood. Vlad resists and is able to outwit Baba Yaga, but knows he cannot hold back forever.

Towards the latter part of the series, the Master Vampire gives his name. Orlok.

Vlad's descent into vampirism takes a month

The deal Vlad strikes with the Master Vampire is set to last a month. During this time Vlad may eat and drink as a normal man, and walk in the sun, but he still thirsts for human blood. He is able to distract himself by feeding on the blood of animals, but slowly loses his taste for it.

As his time runs out, Vlad becomes sensitive to sunlight and feels weak in the daytime. He becomes almost nocturnal, and more lustful and aggressive in his time spent with Mirena. She takes note of his change, and upon discovering the truth is terrified. Vlad assures her that he is still in control, but Mirena is doubtful and does her best to keep distance between him and their son.

Vlad's guerilla war sees him become more monstrous

Over the month he spends battling the Turks, Vlad leads the Order of the Dragon to commit the terror tactics for which he became infamous in the past. Starting with Ottoman soldiers, than domestic criminals and possible spies, and finally civilians, he orders the torture and impalement of hundreds.

His close friends in the brotherhood fear for him, with Cazan trying in vain to steer him back to righteousness. But the Romani soldier Shkelgim supports his lord's violent actions, hating the Turks as much as Vlad.

Justina discovers Vlad's curse and exposes him

As Vlad slowly slips into the feared Impaler mantle once more, and moves his house to a remote abbey, his wife Justina finds out the truth of her husband when she sees him chasing down and feeding on a deer. She confides in the priest Brother Lucian, who attempts to kill Vlad before he falls into vampirism completely.

The resulting disaster sees Vlad angrily berate his wife, the priest and his "ungrateful" subjects for the years of scorn they held for him, the "Impaler". He tells them he has given everything, risked his soul to save their lives. He almost stabs Lucian in a fury before Mirena calms him.

Vlad causes Mirena's and Ingeras's deaths

Still simmering with resentment, Vlad takes his mastery of his vampire powers to engage Radu in the field, accompanied by his loyal banner man Dumitru.

But Janissary agents infiltrate Vlad's abbey to take his household hostage, and in a fury he flies back to go on a violent rampage. But in his anger, Vlad causes the abbey to burn and collapse. Justina is able to escape, but Mirena and Ingeras are killed in the abbey's collapse. In the chaos, many of their friends and Vlad's fellow knights are slain.

A grief-stricken Vlad emerges from the wreckage holding his mistress and son. Mirena still lives, and Vlad offers to revive them both and give them new lives as vampires. But as she dies, Mirena tells him she and Ingeras will go to God, begging Vlad to seek salvation and join them.

Vlad willingly damns himself

Bereft of all hope, and consumed by vengeance, Vlad finds a wounded Ottoman soldier and impales him, drinking his blood. He chooses to condemn himself to undeath.

Having nothing left to live for as a man, Vlad dons a suit of dragon-patterned armor he wore on the warpath as a younger man and accepts being what people said he is. A monster. He revives his knights and slain household with his blood, promising them revenge.

Vlad kills Radu.

Hunting down Radu, Vlad and his new brood of vampires slaughter his entourage. But having heard stories of what his brother became, Radu outlines his personal tent with silver coins and "holy fire" to help him weaken and slay Vlad.

Radu sees himself as God's instrument in killing his now-vampire brother. While Vlad has lost his faith in God, with all his prayers having received no answer and his soul lost to the Dark.

After a brutal duel, Vlad unleashes the full might of his power and murders Radu. When Radu tells Vlad he dishonors their family and his title, "Son of the Dragon", Vlad tells him he is no longer Prince Vlad.

He is Dracula. "Son of the Devil". Dracula impales Radu before drinking his blood and burning his corpse to prevent his resurrection.

The prince fakes his death

Dracula considers letting himself die with his fellow vampires, dispelling the storm clouds he summoned in their attack to let them burn in the sun.

Upon nightfall, however, Dracula awakens. Now a full-blooded vampire sired by a being of Orlok's strength, the sun weakens him but cannot kill him. Desparing that God has abandoned him, and will not even let him die, Dracula is greeted by Orlok and his last remaining servant Shkelgim. Orlok stokes Dracula's anger, redirecting it towards God Himself and the entirety of the human race. All the world failed Dracula; his family, his people, and the enemy that drove him to such terrible lengths to keep fighting.

Orlok departs, telling Dracula he is now a vessel of the Dark like him. And he must learn to leave his humanity behind, master his newfound power before starting anew and taking his vengeance on the world that turned its back on him. When the time is right, Orlok promises, he will be there to help Dracula.

Stewing on Orlok's words, a scarred Dracula wanders across the countryside and hears people talking about the cursed prince, the impaler, the tyrant Vlad. Deciding the world is better off without him, and vice versa, Dracula captures one of the Wallachian royal soldiers and uses alchemy to change his appearance. Making him appear as "Vlad".

Swaying him with a hypnotic gaze, Dracula sends the false Vlad to rejoin his army, which is on patrol searching for their prince. The decoy arrives in time for a raid by the Ottoman forces to ambush and kill them. The decoy is killed and beheaded, and all the world thinks Vlad III dead.

Count Dracula

The series, and Dracula's origin story, ends with the now-vampiric noble traveling to the land of Transylvania. He takes a new identity, becomes a merchant of antiquities, and settles in a dwelling in the Carpathian mountains. Holding onto one last memento of his past life, a relic of the Order of the Dragon, he bides his time as the years pass until all who once knew him are long dead. In that time, he continues his studies in the occult and grows in strength and knowledge.

At last, more than a century later, the reclusive vampire claims the title of Count and uses his amassed wealth to build a castle. A castle built in his name, his sole remaining name.

Dracula.

THE END

****

And that concludes the second revision/retelling in this hypothetical series.

Hope you enjoyed it! I'll be back soon with the next reimagining.

Frankenstein.

What if Universal Pictures could Bring back Cancellation of the Dark Universe since 2017 and release in the future

Before Epic Universe opens next year, I want to watch/rewatch all the movies that have a land at Epic Universe.

My main question is: What monsters movies should I watch for Dark Universe?

I know that the Monsters Unchained ride has Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula, the Phantom of the Opera and (rumored) Hunchback. And the Wolfman spinning roller coaster will have Maleva and (obviously) the Wolfman. Characters said to be roaming the land are Igor and the Invisible Man.

Many of these classic monsters have had multiple movies over the years, so any suggestions for movies are appreciated!

P.S. Also some of these monsters are rumored to only have a small part in the land, so I might not watch all of them.

Hello, fellow horror enthusiasts!

I've been brainstorming a fresh take on Universal's Dark Universe and want to share my vision with you. I'd love your feedback on these films. Each one is distinct in tone and style, yet they subtly connect, setting the stage for a larger universe.

- My plan here is not do as MCU, with phases, and a crossover movie like the Avengers;
- Also I don't have a "Nick Fury"-like character. I designed it a little different as you will see;
- Basicly, the main storyline from this universe involves Dracula's plot from the book, with my own twists on it:

1. Dracula

Director: Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, Nosferatu upcoming)
Tone: Psychological horror, intimate, atmospheric

Plot Overview:
Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula in purchasing property in London. Upon arrival, he finds himself in Dracula's eerie, decrepit castle. Strange occurrences—Dracula's wall-climbing ability, his lack of reflection—hint at something sinister. Harker soon realizes he's a prisoner and that Dracula is a vampire.

As the film progresses, Dracula, initially portrayed as an old, decaying figure, regains his youth by feeding on Harker's blood. Conversely, Harker grows ill and frail, losing his vitality. The suspense peaks when Dracula departs for England, leaving Harker at the mercy of three vampiric brides. Harker’s narrow escape leaves him deeply traumatized.

This film serves as a short, 80 minutes unassuming introduction to the Dark Universe, rich in psychological tension and dread.

2. The Wolfman

Director: Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man, Upgrade)
Tone: Gothic thriller, character-driven, tragic

Plot Overview:
Lawrence "Larry" Talbot, an American, returns to his ancestral home in Wales after his brother’s mysterious death. Reconnecting with his estranged father, Sir John Talbot, Larry tries to adapt to life at the family manor. He becomes infatuated with Gwen Conliffe, a local shopkeeper.

During a village fair, they meet Bela, a Romani fortune teller. Larry hears a chilling howl and, attempting to protect Gwen, kills a wolf with his silver cane. He later learns the "wolf" was Bela, cursed as a werewolf. By killing him, Larry activates his own curse. Abraham Van Helsing, investigating the werewolf rumors, is in town and becomes involved.

As the full moon rises, Larry undergoes his first transformation, attacking villagers. The next morning, confused and horrified, he discovers the truth about his condition. Maleva, Bela's mother, reveals that the only cure is death.

The village descends into fear and chaos. Larry’s attempts to convince his father and Gwen of the truth are futile. In the climactic confrontation, Sir John is revealed to be the older, less-controlled werewolf. With Van Helsing’s help, Larry kills his father, but the tragedy is clear: his curse is inescapable. He isolates himself, trying to control the beast within.

3. Frankenstein - The Modern Prometheus

Director: Guillermo del Toro (Crimson Peak, The Shape of Water)
Tone: Psychological horror, body horror, philosophical

Plot Overview:
Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but obsessed young scientist in 19th-century Switzerland, becomes fixated on creating life from death. Studying at the University of Ingolstadt, he delves into forbidden scientific experiments, assisted by Ygor, who helps procure body parts. Using electricity and alchemical methods, Victor succeeds in reanimating a grotesque creature assembled from corpses on his lab, on a lighthouse (the lighthouse top is set on fire because of the lightning, a visual symbolism to Prometheus bringing the eternal flame to the mortals)

Horrified by his creation’s appearance and behavior, Victor abandons it. The creature escapes into the wilderness. Observing humans from afar, it learns language and culture but faces rejection and violence due to its monstrous form. Seeking solace, it confronts Victor, detailing its suffering and demanding recognition.

Victor’s attempts to suppress his guilt are futile as tragedy strikes his family in Geneva. His young brother, William, is murdered, and their servant, Justine, is wrongfully executed for the crime. The creature, seeking vengeance for his abandonment, admits responsibility.

The film’s climax sees a harrowing chase to a windmill, where Victor seemingly destroys the creature in a fire. The story blends psychological tension with body horror, exploring themes of creation, responsibility, and societal rejection.

4. Dr. Jekyll

Director: Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar)
Tone: Psychological horror, body horror, deeply unsettling

Plot Overview:
Henry Jekyll, a respected psychiatrist at Dr. Seward's sanatorium, is tormented by the conflict between his desire for societal respect and his suppressed immoral urges. His research into the dual nature of humanity is inspired by his study of Renfield, a patient who once traveled to Transylvania and became insane.

Jekyll develops an alchemical formula to separate his good and evil sides, giving birth to Edward Hyde—physically repulsive, short-statured, and animalistic. Initially, Jekyll believes he controls Hyde, indulging in small crimes and dark pleasures. However, as Hyde grows stronger, his acts become increasingly violent. He brutally murders Sir Danvers Carew, a respected figure, leading to a police manhunt. Meanwhile, Jekyll's lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, investigates the link between Hyde and Jekyll, growing suspicious when Jekyll's will names Hyde as his heir.

Jekyll's control erodes as Hyde begins emerging involuntarily. Desperate, Jekyll tries to abandon his experiments, but Hyde’s will dominates. When the unique chemical needed for the formula runs out, Jekyll realizes he is doomed to remain as Hyde. In despair, he writes a confession and try to takes his own life, but fails and run alway.

5. The Symphony of the Creature (the Creature's spin-off)

Director: Guillermo del Toro (returning for spin-off)
Tone: Psychological horror, body horror, inspired by Freaks

Plot Overview:
The Creature survives the windmill fire and seeks acceptance, eventually finding refuge in Paris, working backstage at the Opera Garnier. Dr. Pretorius, an enigmatic figure, approaches the Creature with a mysterious proposal.

In the shadows of Notre Dame, Quasimodo, the cathedral's bell-ringer, lives in isolation. Once, he loved a Romani woman, Esmeralda, who showed him compassion despite his deformity. She was tragically executed after being betrayed by the obsessive Frollo, a memory that haunts Quasimodo. He and the Creature form a bond over their shared rejection by society. Also, the hidden catacombs under the Opera connects with outcasts in the underground “Court of Miracles.”

At the Opera Garnier, rumors spread about the "Phantom of the Opera." Erik, a disfigured genius, lives beneath the theater, obsessively mentoring soprano Christine Daaé. Christine had previously shown kindness to the Creature, who now protects her. Erik, consumed by jealousy, threatens to destroy the opera if Christine doesn’t love him. He kidnaps her, forcing a confrontation in the catacombs where the Creature intervenes. Tragedy strikes when Christine dies, leaving Erik heartbroken and disappearing into the shadows. The film ends with the Creature mourning Christine, while Erik's fate remains a haunting mystery.

6. The Mummy

Director: Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation)
Tone: Adventure horror, atmospheric, with themes of ancient curses

Plot Overview:
An archaeological expedition in Egypt, led by Sir Joseph Whemple and Evelyn, unearths the cursed tomb of Imhotep, an ancient priest mummified alive for attempting to resurrect his lover, Princess Anck-su-Namun, using the forbidden Book of Amon. During the excavation, a young assistant reads from the book, accidentally awakening Imhotep.

The resurrected mummy, now wielding dark powers, seeks to find Anck-su-Namun’s tomb to revive her. He mercilessly hunts the expedition members, driven by an undying love and vengeful wrath. Evelyn and Rick, members of the team, uncover the truth and confront Imhotep in a final battle within a collapsing tomb. Imhotep is buried under the ruins, but the danger of the Book of Amon remains.

7. Helsing

Director: Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, Nosferatu)
Tone: Classic gothic horror with deep psychological and social undercurrents.

Plot Overview:
Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra live in Whitby when a mysterious woman, Carmilla, arrives at their mansion. A seductive presence, she forms a dangerously intimate bond with Lucy, who soon shows strange symptoms. Dr. Seward calls in Professor Abraham Van Helsing, who uncovers Carmilla’s vampiric nature.

The investigation reveals a secret society of vampires among London's nobility, led by the enigmatic Lord Ruthven: A mysterious aristocrat, he causes fascination and distrust. He is charming, but there are rumors of his connection to unexplained deaths. Ruthven manipulates those around him, especially young women, leading to their death or ruin. Dracula's "daughter," Carmilla, was sent ahead to infiltrate, but she pursues her own desires. Katherine Caldwell, drawn into Ruthven's hedonistic circle, dreams of becoming a vampire.

Dorian Gray is part of Lord Ruthven’s hedonistic circle. Once a beautiful and naïve youth, he made a wish for his portrait to age instead of him, leading him to a life of moral decay. Over the years, as Dorian indulges in selfish pleasures, his portrait becomes grotesque, reflecting his corrupted soul. His actions, including driving actress Sibyl Vane to suicide, deepen his descent. Basil Hallward, who painted the portrait, confronts Dorian about his change and discovers the secret, horrified.

As Dracula arrives in London to seize power and acquire ancient Egyptian knowledge, a power struggle ignites. Dracula confronts Ruthven to gain control over the capital's vampires, and also because the nobles financed archaeological expeditions in Egypt and had access to occult knowledge, which Dracula desired. We also find out that Dracula wants to go to London because it was the center of knowledge at the time, and the world was expanding. Dracula had sent his daughter Carmilla to infiltrate before his arrival, but Carmilla had her own interests and desires.

Lucy tragically succumbs, and in the end. In a fit of rage, Dorian kills Basil. Ruthven faces Van Helsing and Dracula in a final, bloody confrontation.

8. The Bride’s Requiem

Director: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak)
Tone: Deep body horror and psychological tension, echoing the moral collapse of scientific ambition.

Plot Overview:
The Creature, devastated and full of rage, demands Victor Frankenstein resurrect Christine. Pretorious preserved Christine's body using alchemical knowledge, but he could not save her brain. And you can't create an artificial one. He says they need Moreau, someone who can tinker with a real brain, to repair Christine's. Reluctantly, Victor and his mentor, Dr. Pretorius, journey to an island where the disgraced Dr. Moreau conducts gruesome experiments, transforming animals into human-like hybrids. Dr Moreau is an old colleague from Pretorious: while Pretorious' specialty is homonculus, Dr Moreau creates chimeras.

The island’s inhabitants live under the tyrannical "laws" of Moreau, who plays god. Prendick, a survivor of Moreau's twisted experiments, warns them of the true horrors. As Victor and Pretorius work to create a "Bride," they realize the price of their hubris. Moreau's death triggers chaos, with the hybrids reverting to primal instincts. The Bride rejects the Creature, who, heartbroken, destroys the lab and laments, "We belong to death."

Here I also would present Griffin, the Invisible Man. He is one of the experiments from Moreau. He is like an invisible threat. Every time he is injuried, the invisibily on the injury fails, showing his internal organs in a grotesque way. So, he gains a big injurie that let him using the classical bandages in a next movie. Also, I see he allying with Pretorious.

For a lack of better movie to put him in this universe, I would present the Gillman here too. Not as a creation of Dr. Moreau, but like, as if he also had his "zoo" from cryptids in the island.

9. Dracula – Bloodbound

Director: Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House)
Tone: Gothic, psychological, and socially charged—exploring corruption and redemption.

Plot Overview:
Jonathan Harker escapes Dracula's castle, only to find Lucy transformed into a child-hunting vampire. Dracula then turns his attention to Mina, forging a psychic bond to control her.

Meanwhile, Dracula’s "children," Carmilla and Alucard, embody his legacy's duality. Carmilla, driven by rebellion and cruelty, contrasts with Alucard, who seeks to defy his father’s darkness. Their complex relationships mirror the broader battle between hedonistic evil and moral redemption.

Van Helsing and her friends destroy Lucy to save her soul. The final showdown pits Van Helsing’s group against Dracula, culminating in the destruction of his lair in Whitby. Mina's fate hangs in the balance as Dracula’s ancient evil meets its reckoning.

10. The Wolfman - Blood Moon

Director: Robert Eggers
Tone: Gothic, psychological, and socially charged—exploring corruption and redemption.

Plot Overview:
The sequel expands on the tragic journey of Lawrence Talbot, who struggles with his newfound curse. He meets Selene, a powerful and enigmatic female werewolf who has embraced her nature. Together, they navigate the complex, secretive world of lycanthropes. Selene reveals an ancient sect of werewolves who believe in controlling their transformations through ritual and meditation, while others embrace their primal instincts, forming a brutal faction that threatens humanity.

As Lawrence grapples with his inner demons, he faces a choice: master the beast within or surrender to it. Selene becomes both mentor and potential antagonist, embodying the duality of control versus chaos.

11. Helsing: Origins

Director: Ari Aster
Tone: Dark fantasy and gothic horror.

Plot Overview:
Set in 19th-century Germany, this film explores the early days of Abraham Van Helsing, chronicling his transformation from a scholar to a legendary vampire hunter. When a series of brutal murders plague a Bavarian village, Van Helsing is called to investigate. He discovers that the culprit is a Nosferatu, an ancient vampire whose soul was corrupted in death and reanimated his decomposed body. This Nosferatu is more ghoul than aristocrat, needing flesh and blood to survive.

This quest introduces Van Helsing to the symbols, rituals, and tools that will define his legacy, while foreshadowing his future battle with Dracula. Van Helsing uncovers in Dracula: Bloodbound that Dracula studied the same dark process but perfected it through alchemy, becoming a "refined" vampire.

12. The Mummy - The Curse of Karnak

Director: Alex Garland
Tone: Adventure horror, atmospheric, with themes of ancient curses

Plot Overview:
After the events of the first film, Imhotep is rescued from the rubble by the Priests of Karnak, who need his help to revive Kharis, the ancient guardian. Their goal: restore Egypt's glory. To do so, they must recover the Book of Ra, now hidden in London. Imhotep strikes a dangerous alliance with Dracula, offering ancient knowledge in exchange for help.

In London, Evelyn joins forces with a growing group of monster hunters to stop them. Their quest leads them to an ancient buried city, once ruled by the Scorpion King, who guards the Book of Ra.

13. Dracula - Perpetual Night

Director: Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar)
Tone: Adventure horror, atmospheric, gothic-slasher

Plot Overview:
The final chapter sees our heroes chasing Dracula back to his fortress in Transylvania. The stakes are apocalyptic: Dracula has used the Books of Amon and Ra to create an artificial perpetual eclipse. This dark ritual plunges part of the world into eternal night, with profound cosmic consequences:

• Vampires: No longer bound by daylight, they roam freely, terrorizing humanity.

• Werewolves: Permanently transformed, they become feral instruments of Dracula's war.

Climax and Character Arcs:

• The Hunt and the Battle: In the territory of the "eternal night": the territory Dracula is covering using the shadow of the solar eclipse he created. The group faces Dracula's powerful servants and the forces of eternal darkness, while he expands his domains starting from his Castle in Transylvania. All culminates a brutal final confrontation at his castle:

  • Quincey Morris is mortally wounded but deals a critical blow that helps the team destroy Dracula, breaking Mina's psychic connection.

  • Dorian Gray is killed when his corrupted portrait is destroyed, his true, grotesque form revealed in death.

  • Mr. Hyde sacrifices himself, ending Dr. Jekyll's tormented duality.

  • Carmilla’s End: Confronted in her ancestral tomb, Carmilla's final destruction (stake and decapitation) symbolizes the purge of Dracula’s lineage and the triumph over centuries-old corruption.

  • Van Helsing’s Transformation: Alucard turns Van Helsing into a vampire, making him both hunter and hunted — a complex culmination of his battle against evil.

  • The Creature’s Leadership: The Creature represents those rejected by society, fighting for a chance at redemption and acceptance. He finishes the movie leading an group of outcasts and misfits, the creatures Moreau created, along with his "bride" (trough they are not in a relationship, but started to understand each other).

This film delivers pure, unfiltered slasher horror. Relentless dread and visceral violence. Every encounter with Dracula's minions is brutal, intimate, and inescapable.

This is it: an epic, nightmarish conclusion that’s more than a fight against Dracula — it’s a battle against the darkness within ourselves.

The Dark Universe is probably one of, if not the, most ill-conceived idea for a shared universe ever made. Basically the idea was that Universal wanted a shared universe to rival the Avengers, and since they couldn't to that with Jurassic Park, since that wouldn't really work as a shared universe, and the Fast and Furious Spin-off Hobbs and Shaw was taking too long to make, and that they didn't have there own superhero property to make a shared universe off of (as far as I know) they instead choose to take there classic Universal Monsters, and try making a Superhero action franchise out of them.

And I'm not saying the action genre and Universal Monsters can't mix, The first two Brenden Fraiser Mummy movies prove that you can do a Universal Monsters film in the Action Adventure Genre, and in Strodes no less, and that's not to say a Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe can't work either. Because I'd love to see them come back in some way and I feel a shared universe is the best way to do, not to mention it makes the most sense, since they already were a shared universe in the past, but I don't think you can do that if you try making it like the Marvel Universe and try turning the Monsters into superheroes, or just modelling it after Marvel in general, it also doesn't help that unlike the Brenden Fraiser Mummy films (at least the first two), the Mummy remake with Tom Cruise is not a fun action adventure film, it is a dark, boring, unfun, generic, clichéd, Formulaic, and by the numbers action movie that doesn't know if it wants to be full on action, full on horror, or somewhere in between.

Also doesn't help, that they literally stop the movie just to setup the universe, the biggest mistake anyone could make trying to make a Cinematic Universe, something Marvel avoided in strodes. So, yeah, as you can imagine, everyone, in a rare moment of intelligence, just like they did with Transformers 5 that year, spoke with there pockets and said No, we will not stand for this BS, let's all go watch Wonder Woman, and/or Get Out and/or It, and/or some artsy film from a foreign that no one knows but pretentious critics will like because they are pretentious and self-indulgent.

But this does make me wonder, what exactly was the plan for the rest of the films, okay, I mean I know the basic bare bones stuff, but I mean in terms of what exactly would be in other films, if The Mummy 2017 was anything to go by? Like what would the other be like and be about? What was the overall plan? Either way I cannot imagine a world where The Dark Universe as it is was somehow a successful. Thankfully despite what that pretentious hack Ralphthemoviemaker says, Invisible Man 2020 proves that Universal Monsters can still be relevant and scary.

Recently watched on Netflix. It’s really not that bad. It has some flaws of course, but Luke Evans and Charles Dance are very compelling in this world.

I think the biggest mistake was the setting and the villain; both were just boring. The end of the film fast forwards to a modern setting and imo the film should have made this jump immediately because most of the intriguing plot points centered around Vlad and his relationship with his master.

The Dark Universe stuff was killed pretty early on and I think the audience misses out on a lot because of it. We have had like 4 Venom movies, you can’t tell me that a sequel to Dracula Untold and The Mummy would have been any worse than those movies.

Dracula Untold is flawed but decent imo.

The biggest flaw they had was trying to much to be the MCU, Dracula Untold was good but its clear that the direction was set to fail cause they wanted to be like MCU instead of trying to set itself apart.

Personally, if we ignore Dracula Untold I would have had to where its a anthology series. With each movie being told to a group by a dying Van Helsing, hoping to impart some wisdom to a future generation in the hopes that they will be better off then his

As for the Monsters? Start off with Dracula, Wolf man and Frankenstein.Those monsters would be a decent enough draw and keep the themes each one has. And don't lean into action so much. And maybe if they did well go to Creature, Invisible Man and The Mummy

Low budgets

I'm looking forward to Dark Universe more than any of the five lands in Epic Universe, and for the most part every new bit of info has gotten me even more excited for this park.

One thing I haven't seen discussed much is the "hip edgy new designs" of the Universal Monsters.

https://www.deviantart.com/superkaijuhorrorgal/art/The-Dark-Universe-Returns-Kind-of-1015993495

I think this is a HUGE mistake.

People want to see Frankenstein's monster with the flat top and bolts, not a new edgy version. People want to see the classic Drac and old-school Wolf Man. Universal knows this! Right? At least they did at one time? https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j30fz5N1Qg4/TjBh8lTt0EI/AAAAAAAAAQU/TAWC9kgsNC8/s400/Monster2.gif

I can't help but wonder if this is a Galaxy's Edge-level mistake. Universal did not invent a hipper, edgier Harry Potter, they made sure he looks like Daniel Radcliffe. Universal did not redesign Optimus Prime, or recast Rick O'Connell, or put the dynamic world of the Fast and Furious on a slow moving party bus... wait, sorry about that last one. Anyway, Universal didn't recast J for Men In Black, they got Will Smith, damn it.

However, Disney decided to create a new world and setting during the less iconic trilogy for Galaxy's Edge and that's worked out perfectly, right?

I did read somewhere that they might be worried about the estates of those actors (Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney) suing them, but I don't believe this for a minute. Uni owns those makeup looks. Many other actors played Frankenstein's monster and Dracula with similar makeup looks.

I wonder if the Dark Universe is going to lose some luster when the public sees buff Frank, wild Wolfy, and Vegas Magician Drac.

Epic Universe and Dark Universe are opening soon but there’s lots of pictures and videos online already. I know the land takes place in its own universe separate from the movies, but I thought it would be fun to speculate what from the movies might be canon to the land.

I believe some version of the events of Frankenstein happened in Dark Universe. You can see Maria’s grave as you walk into the land, you see Henry Frankenstein’s portrait in the queue for the ride (with Colin Clive’s likeness), and the dead body of the original Monster with Boris Karloff’s likeness can also be seen in the queue.

I do not believe the events of Bride are canon, as she is still alive in the land, but we do know that Dr. Pretorius existed as there is a shop with his portrait and coffin in it, so there is that nod at least. There is a character named Igor in the land who is Victoria Frankenstein’s assistant, but he’s not Ygor from Son of Frankenstein. He’s the typical Fritz-Ygor amalgamation you see all the time in popular culture. I think it’s pretty safe to say the Frankenstein sequels aren’t canon but we do have the Bride and Pretorius.

I think it’s very possible that the events of Dracula are also canon. Dracula’s immortal so it wouldn’t have any conflicts with the timeline. Sure, he dies at the end, but that was never a problem for him in the movies. He also doesn’t resemble Bela Lugosi, but he’s resembled Lon Chaney Jr. and John Carradine so that isn’t a dealbreaker either.

The events of The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, and The Phantom of the Opera are also probably canon, but the dates have been floated to later in the timeline, when the land takes place. Though not Universal, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde also exist concurrently.

It is possible that some version of Creature from the Black Lagoon also happened, as the head of the classic Gillman can be seen hanging in the Burning Blade Tavern, confirming that there is more than one. The Mummy is immortal so some version of the events of the films could’ve also happened.

Some other Universal horror films are referenced in the land as well. The dead body of a Mole Person can be seen in a cage, and John Carpenter’s The Thing can be seen frozen in ice in the Burning Blade, half transformed into an alien from This Island Earth. It might be a stretch to say some kind of version of the events of those films actually happened, but it’s cool to know that the creatures are out there in the Dark Universe!

An American Werewolf in London 100% isn’t canon, but I can’t not mention David’s red jacket in the queue for the werewolf ride. Just a really nice touch bringing together two of Universal’s best werewolf movies.

And that’s all I got! This is the most exciting time for us monster fans in a long time. This land looks amazing and I can’t wait to go myself someday, and I hope it inspires some new movies!

I want to clarify right up front that I don't mean how they tried to do it - they came at it from just about the worst way possible. They followed a lot of the issues that DC did, where they tried to build their cinematic universe right from the get go (without laying the ground work for the various characters) and that just doesn't work. The Mummy had a good movie in there, but almost all of its issues (for me, anyways) stemmed from trying to set up their cinematic universe.

But the idea of making a cinematic universe surrounding all of Universal's classic monster movies? Sign me the fuck up. So many of these monsters are horror movie icons, and being able to see them coincide in the same universe had the potential of being so cool. Especially as their individual movies likely would have been horror/mystery movies, which would have been quite different from the existing cinematic universes which tend to be action-based.

There's no way that it would have been as successful as the MCU has been, but I think that it could have still been quite successful if they had taken the time to actually build their universe properly.

I'm a sucker for anything Universal Monsters related and it's a real shame every time they try to bring them back in some capacity it never seems to pan out. I'm not going to pretend that the mummy was some Masterclass film but they atleast could have tried to course correct and I do think it did a decent job at setting up the worlds for them to inhabit.

I know they tried launching that game a few years back Universal Monsters Online which never quite took off. Maybe the monsters just don't have enough appeal to younger audiences or maybe they just keep approaching it in the wrong direction. Either way, their continued failures at bringing the monsters together is really disheartening.