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What are the Best Universal Monsters Sequels? Let's Dive into Horror History
The original Universal Monsters movies are classics, but their sequels were often just as entertaining.
In 1935, Universal released Bride of Frankenstein, the first sequel in their then-fledgling Universal Monsters series of films. Franchises weren't really a thing then, at least not like they are now, but Frankenstein had proven so popular that the studio sought to reunite the original talent and see if lightning could strike twice.
It worked, and the Universal Monsters sequel machine soon revved into high gear with follow-ups to Dracula, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and eventually, "monster rally" movies that put as many monster icons in one film as possible. It turned what had been a successful series of standalone monster films into a weird, sometimes haphazardly built universe of characters, and while in many cases you can't top the original, a lot of those sequels still stand out today as remarkable classic horror movies.
So, with Halloween approaching, let's take a closer look at the best of the Universal Monsters sequels.
The Best Universal Monster Movie Sequels
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
There is something inarguably special about Bride of Frankenstein that extends out from the very first frames, in which a young Mary Shelley (Elsa Lanchester) reveals in a prologue sequence that she has not yet told the whole story of her mad scientist and his creature. From there, returning director James Whale and returning stars Colin Clive and Boris Karloff as The Creature take us into a strange, tragicomic new world in which Dr. Frankenstein sets out to make his monster a mate. The black comedy tone, plus the addition of the great Ernest Thesiger as Doctor Pretorius, elevates the material, and pushes Bride of Frankenstein into a realm so exclusive that it's not just the greatest Universal Monsters sequel, but possibly the greatest Universal Monsters movie period.
Stream it now on Peacock!
Dracula's Daughter (1936)
After a sequel to Frankenstein, a sequel to Dracula seemed like the next logical step, and even without Bela Lugosi returning in the role of the Count, the studio shifted gears to deliver an unforgettable follow-up. Dracula's Daughter follows Countess Zaleska (Gloria Holden), the vampiric daughter of the Count himself, who's determined to break her vampiric curse by destroying her father's body. When that doesn't work, she must fight against her very nature in a tense, psychological game that still ranks among the most compelling vampire movies of all time, and an early queer cinema touchstone.
Stream it now on Peacock!
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
You might notice that Frankenstein is the only solo monster series to land two sequels on this list. That's because, despite eight years passing between the original and the third installment, Son of Frankenstein still emerges as a remarkable exercise in continuity with the other two films in the story up to that point. This time, we follow Doctor Frankenstein's son (Basil Rathbone) as he returns to the family castle and tries to rehabilitate the Frankenstein image, only to stumble upon his father's work, and the creature (Boris Karloff in the makeup one last time) in the process. It's got amazing design choices, great character work, and Bela Lugosi as a madman named Ygor; basically everything you could want from what's, in its own way, one of horror's first legacy sequels.
Stream it now on Peacock!
The Invisible Man Returns (1940)
The original Invisible Man is about a guy driven mad by the chemicals that made him vanish, who sets out to conduct a reign of terror and behaves as an absolute monster throughout. For the sequel, Universal wisely flipped the script, focusing instead on a condemned man (Vincent Price) framed for a crime he didn't commit, who gets access to the invisibility serum, receives an injection, and uses his new powers to try and clear his name, all while fighting the inevitable madness that will eventually set in. It's a great vehicle for Price, a great new use of the Invisible Man concept, and a surprisingly emotional monster movie.
Stream it now on Peacock!
The Mummy's Hand (1940)
They defeated the mummy at the end of The Mummy, but the thing about Egypt is they have a lot of mummies over there, so Universal went back with The Mummy's Hand. A sequel basically in concept only, the film follows a new team of treasure hunters, a new mummy, and a new curse, and the results are wonderful. If you're looking for the roots of the "lovable band of scoundrels in search of riches" style of mummy story that helped give birth to the 1999 remake, look no further than this film.
Stream it now on Peacock!
Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943)
It's the first monster rally movie! After a string of solo Frankenstein films and a hit with The Wolf Man in 1941, Universal decided to see if two great tastes would taste great together and combined the monsters into a single film. Though he gets second billing, it's Wolf Man Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) who gets the brunt of the plot, as he's awakened by grave robbers, realizes he can't die, and goes searching for Doctor Frankenstein's notes on life and death to see if he can find a way to go out in peace. Along the way, he encounters The Creature (Bela Lugosi) and chaos ensues. It's a little crowded, but the results are fun enough that it's no wonder Universal kept pushing more monster rally movies after this one.
Stream it now on Peacock!
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1946)
In an effort to mix up their monsters into new box office success, Universal veered firmly into horror-comedy territory in the 1940s, drafting Bud Abbott and Lou Costello for a series of encounters with the studio's horror icons. Their first outing, in which they meet not just Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange), but The Wolf Man (Lon Chaney) and Dracula (Bela Lugosi) too, is still their best. It's got some genuinely spooky atmosphere going for it, and Abbott and Costello's particular buddy comedy tone fits right in. Plus, this is only the second and final time you get to see Lugosi as Dracula in a Universal Pictures release, so savor it!
Available now from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment!
