Over the last century, Hollywood has tried to revamp Universal's Monster movies franchise over and over again. Several reboots, including Dracula Untold, The Wolfman (2010), and The Mummy (2017) have been attempted in recent years, but with little success. While productions have come close to reviving these classic film friends for a new generation, they have yet to reach the same levels of global success as their predecessors. The biggest issues with the newer reboot attempts include absurd changes to the source material, an overreliance on over-the-top special effects, and a complete lack of well-placed talent in the titular roles. Thankfully, there has been some headway in recent years in the form of more character-driven, low-budget films.
Short, one-off hits like The Invisible Man and Renfield are successful in part because they focus on the more humanistic aspects of their retellings. They mirror the original Universal films, with timeless performances from the likes of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and Elsa Lanchester. These iconic actors playing even more iconic roles were part of what made the originals great. With this in mind, we've decided to reboot and recast the entire Universal MonsterVerse, using actors we think would portray their roles in films like The Phantom of the Opera to The Creature From the Black Lagoon perfectly.
Updated on August 12th, 2023 by Amanda Minchin: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
11 Doug Jones
Creature From the Black Lagoon
The most obvious choice is perhaps Doug Jones, who is undoubtedly the best performer to bring the Creature to life in a reboot of Creature From the Black Lagoon. Jones not only has a ton of experience in full-body makeup and costumes, but he also has experience in being fully submerged in water, as shown in both Hellboy and Guillermo del Toro's heavily Creature-inspired Oscar-winning film, The Shape of Water.
Jones has an innate ability to contort his body in animalistic ways while maintaining a humanistic personality. There have been rumblings of a remake on the horizon, with Scarlett Johansson taking on Julie Adams' classic lead role. Considering her role in Hail, Caesar!, this notion is not too far off the mark. If this ever does come to fruition, Jones would be the perfect Gill-Man to star opposite Johansson.
10 Rahul Kohli
The Mummy
It's about time for Rahul Kohli to land a leading role, and what better part for him than a Universal Monster movie? Kohli is no stranger to the horror genre, and could seamlessly play both the intelligent and imposing portrayal needed in a remake of The Mummy. Plus he was nothing short of fantastic in both of Mike Flanagan's Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass.
Aside from the incredible set design, the original film relied on an amazing performance from Boris Karloff. By not taking the souped-up Tom Cruise movie route, sticking to the original story, and adding in some Oscar-worthy makeup and effects, Kohli could easily take this monstrous character to an acting level it hasn't seen since its 1932 inception.
9 Tom Hiddleston
Dracula
The role of Dracula is not only the most iconic role in Universal's storied franchise but possibly the most iconic role in the horror genre. Tom Hiddleston's acting style has both the irresistible charm and the sly deviousness required to take on the Count.
Fans of both Loki and Crimson Peak have delighted in Hiddleston's ability to switch from an endearing protagonist to a seething antagonist seemingly at the drop of a hat. Dracula has had a long line of fantastic actors behind the cape, including Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, and Gary Oldman. Hiddleston is easy to see besides all three of those powerhouse actors.
8 Ethan Hawke
The Wolf Man
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Ethan Hawke has always been a brilliant actor, though he has never seemed to get the recognition he deserves. Thankfully, he's had a bit of a comeback in the spotlight recently, with outstanding performances in The Northman, Marvel's Moon Knight, and The Black Phone.
Hawke has experience in playing both a protagonist and an antagonist, sometimes in the same film. That being said, he has even more experience in the horror genre. Taking on the role of Lawrence Talbot in a remake of The Wolf Man would be a perfect match for Hawke, as he's consistently able to pull off playing a conflicted character (Training Day), as well as one who can turn vicious at the drop of a hat (Taking Lives). This role could finally be the one that lands him an Oscar win after four nominations.
7 Bradley Cooper
The Phantom of the Opera
The lead role in The Phantom of the Opera needs to be a traditionally good-looking actor (at least at the start of the film) who is able to tap into a villainous personality. At this point in his career, we're sure Bradley Cooper could pull off both with ease. While not a classically trained musician by any stretch of the imagination, Cooper worked hard to show off his chops in A Star is Born. Perhaps he could be persuaded to put them back on display for this iconic role?
While he may have been able to bank on good looks in his early acting career in films like The Hangover and Silver Linings Playbook, it wasn't until recently, in Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, that we got to see Cooper play a truly conflicted and villainous character. His slow transition into madness and despair in this film could easily inspire Cooper's next role as this classic masked villain.
6 Winston Duke
The Invisible Man
While Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man was a fantastic film, it hardly focused on the villainous character himself. Winston Duke has proven to shine in standout minor roles, like in Black Panther and Us. If Duke took on the titular mad scientist role, it would be a great step into a leading role.
Not only does he have the ability to be imposing because of his size, but there's a certain likability to him that would cause the audience to be conflicted, much in the same way Claude Rains was in the original 1933 film. Expanding the MonsterVerse with Duke playing one of its most interesting characters would be a smart move. It would also be an interesting interpretation in light of his previous film roles.
5 Ron Perlman
Frankenstein's Monster
Fully experienced in performances in both full-body makeup and in the horror genre, Ron Perlman could play Frankenstein's monster to perfection with absolute ease. Although Perlman comes off as a tough-as-nails actor, he's also been able to tap into an emotional plane in his roles on Sons of Anarchy and Hand of God.
This would serve him well to play one of Universal's most popular monsters. Not only would his imposing size and look fit the character like a glove, his chemistry with a style-focused director like Guillermo del Toro or Robert Rodriguez would make for a flawless match. The monster's limitations of movement and action wouldn't be too much for Perlman, either, as the ageless actor is now in his seventies.
4 Gwendoline Christie
The Bride of Frankenstein
Gwendoline Christie is both physically imposing and absolutely gorgeous. Because of this, she would be the perfect casting choice for The Bride of Frankenstein. An underlying level of emotion, shielded by a stern exterior is exactly what's needed for this classic monster.
She already has experience playing powerful characters, becoming a fan favorite in both Game of Thrones and the new Star Wars trilogy, as well as on Wednesday. Christie has the chops required to capture the sadness and loneliness the Bride presents underneath, as well as the ferocious anger (and its cataclysmic results) that this iconic character is known for.
3 Mia Goth
Creature From the Black Lagoon
A versatile actor in the indie horror scene, Mia Goth has both the chops and the name to take on a Universal monster's mantle. Though she'd be a good fit for many a role, she would truly shine in a gender-bending version of Creature From the Black Lagoon.
Her experience in films like A Cure for Wellness displays her ability to strike a creepy pose for a role, as does her most recent performance in Infinity Pool. Plus she is known for acting in revisions of original IP and with heavy makeup application, most notably in Ti West's X trilogy's Pearl and X, parts of which take inspiration from The Wizard of Oz's Dorothy. This ethereal actress would 100% elevate any Universal Monster role.
2 Javier Botet
The Wolf Man
Another spectacular option for The Wolf Man would be creature feature extraordinaire Javier Botet. The Spanish actor has been featured in many horror films, from Slender Man and Mama to the popular [REC] franchise. He also has experience (technically) in playing a Universal Monster as Dracula in The Last Voyage of the Demeter.
Botet has a genetic condition called Marfan Syndrome, a condition which, among other things, affects the joints and connective tissues. In his case, the condition has left him extremely flexible, which he uses to his full advantage in his roles. It also helps that he's a near dead-ringer for the two backpacking leads in An American Werewolf in London.
1 Elisabeth Moss
The Invisible Woman
The 1940s The Invisible Woman is in desperate need of a do-over. Luckily, ever since the 2019 release of The Invisible Man, audiences have been clamoring for a round two. Elisabeth Moss, who played a woman trapped in a controlling relationship, would be the perfect choice to flip the tables à la Promising Young Woman.
Moss has since been rather vocal about reprising the franchise, encouraging fans to be vocal about a second movie. While there have been talks about reprisal for years, including one featuring Elizabeth Banks, the 2019 version has already set the pace for this new world. It would be a crying shame not to take full advantage of it!