In the 1960s, the American sitcom The Munsters, depicting the home life of a group of monsters, was brought to life. The show, although intriguing, was not well received, as opposed to its competition, The Addams Family, which was released and ran for the same stretch of time.

However, the show found its popularity once it was in syndication. That said popularity has spawned several feature films, a sequel television series called The Munsters Today, multiple failed attempts at a remake, and even the most recent reboot film.

Before the idea for a reboot film was greenlit, The Munsters was up for a redo multiple times. In the mid-2000s, the Wayans Brothers (Scary Movie) were attached to a possible movie reboot, but the idea was never fully realized. Soon after, a television pilot was released as a Halloween special on NBC in 2012. The pilot, Mockingbird Lane, was set to help reimagine the series with a darker tone, but the series was never picked up.

Finally, in 2017, Seth Meyers (Late Night with Seth Meyers) and Jill Kargman (Momzillas) were involved in a television reboot that entered development but eventually stalled out. It is curious what could have made Rob Zombie’s film breakthrough the pattern with all these failed attempts.

With the film moving right along, here's what fans should know.

The Rebooted Munsters: What to Expect

Rob Zombies Munsters: “It’s All Good on Mockingbird Lane”
Universal Pictures

In June 2021, Rob Zombie was named the director and producer of the upcoming reboot of The Munsters. The film is a passion project for the famous horror-enthusiast, as he stated he has “been chasing [the film] for 20 years.” Zombie is widely known for his gruesome films and his macabre style. He first made his directorial debut in 2003 with House of 1000 Corpses. From there, he continued with R-rated movies like The Devil's Rejects, 31, the 2007 reboot of Halloween, and its 2009 sequel Halloween II.

Related: Rob and Sheri Moon Zombie Tease The Munsters Movie with New Set Photo

Although Zombie has a history of dark and sinister, he has commented that the PG-rated film will be very much in line with the source material and a more toned-down version of the imagery he is famous for. In an Instagram post, the director stated, “For those of you speculating, wondering and assuming that ‘The Munsters’ would be dirty, violent and nasty… Well, you’re wrong. It’s all good down on Mockingbird Lane.”

Rob Zombies Munsters: “It’s All Good Down on Mockingbird Lane”
Universal Pictures

Zombie is such a fan of the original show that he has dedicated much time and effort to all aspects of the film. The director has been consistently updating fans on his social media with photos of the cast, costumes, and the set. The set, which has been built for principal photography in Budapest, Hungary, is a complete recreation of the original 1313 Mockingbird Lane house and its neighborhood.

The Cast

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Universal Pictures

Zombie has been steadily releasing casting information through his social media. It was revealed that Sheri-Moon Zombie, Zombie’s wife, and Jeff Daniels Phillips (3 From Hell, 31) are set to play Lily and Herman Munster. Daniel Roebuck, known for his work on the previous Rob Zombie remake Halloween, is set to portray Grandpa Munster and Richard Brake (The Sisters Brothers) is due to play Dr. Henry Augustus Wolfgang. A recent announcement from Zombie confirmed that Tomas Boykin (3 From Hell) will play Lily's brother, Lester Dracula.

The rest of the cast is filled out with horror legends like Dee Wallace (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Cujo), Cassandra Peterson -- otherwise known as Elvira Mistress of the Dark -- and Munsters alum Pat Priest. Priest previously played the role of the Munsters' niece Marilyn Munster in the original series. As of now, it is not clear what her role will be in the film.

Related: Rob Zombie: How The Director Pays Tribute to 1970s and 1980s Horror

When Zombie cast his wife in his film, something he is known for doing in almost all his projects, fans began to voice their criticism. The director and rocker has cast Sheri Moon in nearly every film he has ever directed, despite her never acting in any other projects apart from brief stints in a Grindhouse short film and parts on series like Californication and CSI: Miami.

Elvira has recently spoken up for Sheri Moon, stating:

“Sheri is freaking adorable as Lily Munster. I see on social media people asking, ‘Why is Rob always casting her?’ Because she’s freaking good. I think she killed it and people will be really surprised and really like her character.”

The Mistress of the Dark herself will be portraying the best real estate agent on Mockingbird Lane, Barbara Carr, and fans of the actress might not recognize her out of her dark ensemble.

Release Date & Info

The Munsters Christmas
Rob Zombie via Instagram 

While it has been confirmed that the upcoming film will be released in theaters and on the Peacock streaming service via Universal Pictures, there is no release date as of late. However, fans can follow Zombie’s social posts to keep updated on the film until its release.

On the Peacock streaming service, fans can also stream the original series, which ran for two seasons from 1964 to 1966.