Monsters Unborn: The Lost Universal Monster Remakes
Published by Harker Press, 2026. 271 pages
By Bruce Kilkowski Jr.

Every time fans see another remake/retelling/sequel/or whatever they are calling their version of one of the classic Universal monsters, some tend to groan, thinking, here we go again. But the funny (actually no so funny) thing what this picture probably went through to even get started. And in this new book by Bruce Kilkowski Jr., you will get a good idea what I’m talking about.

This book goes through a bunch of unmade sequels or remakes, and proposals that were all based on some of the classic Universal monsters, mainly the Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. We learn how the story of a particular project got started, by who, and who else was involved, such as the writer(s), possible director(s), producer(s), and even the makeup effects guys who were going to design the new look.

I have a really strong love/hate relationship with these types of books. The part I love is that we get to read the story ideas of films that were on the drawing board, in pre-production, or just trying to get off the ground. Some of them are really interesting and unique, while others you can barely see the connection to the original monster film. But on that same note, you have to give them credit for at least being creative and trying to do something original.

The part I hate is that it really shows just how brutal working in the film industry can be. Having a project all ready to go, with key names involved, but is shelved in favor of going with another project because the studio thinks the other one will make more money. Or a new studio head comes in and wants nothing to do with any projects under their predecessor. Or how about a project trying to bring something new and different but just gets shafted. In one of the proposed Mummy updates, the script they had was “very dark and scary and bloody” and “probably the most violent version of the script we’d had.” I mean, this is a horror movie, right? But as said by producer Jim Jacks, who would eventually produce the 1999 The Mummy, “there was another change of administration… the new people didn’t want to make a movie like that.” Then hearing writers being told, particularly on the different mummy ideas, “make it like The Terminator.” Yeah, I can’t imagine in dealing with those kinds of things.

There is one example the book delves into, that back in the early 80s, after the success of An American Werewolf in London (1981), John Landis wanted to produce a remake of The Creature from the Black Lagoon, even having original director Jack Arnold back in the director’s chair, with Joe Dante there to help out if Arnold’s heath wasn’t great. Rick Baker was going to do the creature design. But the studio decided to go with another project, a second sequel to a series where the first two films made a ton of money. So instead of a Creature remake, we got Jaws 3-D (1983). Almost makes you want to cry, doesn’t it?

Then there are examples of the attitude “what have you done lately” that can completely derail a project. John Carpenter was all set to do his version of the Creature as he was just finishing up Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992). But then his Creature project was cancelled. According to screenwriter Bill Phillips, “None of us associated with creating the project could understand why Universal wouldn’t do it… They never quite came out and said no. They just never made it. Frightened executives can sometimes act that way.” Maybe because Memoirs didn’t do well at the box office?

Then a few years later, they made a deal that would have Carpenter direct a remake of Village of the Damned for the studio, and then in turn, he could do his Creature remake. While making Village, once again, a new change in administration, the boss changes as well as any deal that was promised. Village is dropped in theaters with no real PR push or even a decent release, and the Creature project is dropped once again.

It really reminds us once again that this highly creative business really comes down to money. Always has, always will.

There are names connected to some of these unmade projects, like George Romoro, John Carpenter, John Landis, Mick Garris, and so many more. You get to read a treatment for a version of Bride of Frankenstein written by Anne Rice!

So, if you can set aside the frustrations that these creative types must have been going through, you do get to read some very interesting takes on a variety of monster remakes. And that alone is a lot of fun. Kilkowski Jr. gives us a lot of details here, not just the storyline, but who was involved, what changed from each version of the script, and why it never happened. To read about some of the names involved at some point is very interesting. Even when you get to Rick Baker saying that he’s been involved in so many proposed remakes of the Creature as well as how some of the later ones just lose sight of what was special about the original, that he just wants nothing to do with them.

At the end of the book, there are a couple of cool appendixes, listing the different film proposals for each title, as well as a timeline for them. It just shows you what is going on behind the scenes that us fans never have a clue about.