Two cornerstones of the horror genre clashed when Count Dracula and the Wolf Man came to blows inAbbott & Costello Meet the Frankenstein. Typically, Dracula occupies a world that exists independently of lycanthropy, but horror franchises have been known to mix werewolves and vampires in the past. Interestingly, this trend can be dated all the way back to the 1940s. Due to the success ofUniversal’s horror movies, the studio started mixing its monsters together and delivering crossovers, such asFrankenstein Meets the Wolf Man,House of Frankenstein, andHouse of Dracula.
The latter two crossovers notably included both the Vampire King and the most iconic werewolf in pop culture, Larry Talbot a.k.a. The Wolf Man. But despite the opportunity provided by having the two monsters together in the same film, neither seized on it by pitting them against each other. But while this was disappointing, this mistake wasn’t repeated by the next film to include the two cinematic icons, a horror comedy starringBud Abbott and Lou Costello.
Dracula Fought The Wolf Man In Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
Iconic Versions Of Dracula & The Wolf Man Faced Off In The 1948 Crossover
Acting on the potential that comes with a monster crossover,Abbott & Costello Meet Frankensteinmade enemies out of Dracula and the Wolf Man. The “good guy” in the fight was Lon Chaney, Jr.’s The Wolf Man, with Dracula serving as the villain of the conflict. The human alter ego of the Wolf Man, Larry Talbot, was allied with Lou Costello and Bud Abbott’s characters, who found themselves in a castle withBela Lugosi’s Draculaand Frakenstein’s Monster. Helping the protagonists escape from Dracula led to Talbot transforming into the Wolf Man and engaging in a brief struggle with the vampire.
Dracula’s 5-Year-Old $528 Million Box Office Success Reveals Harsh Reality For Classic Horror Character
Dracula hasn’t starred in a box-office hit since 2018, which reveals a tough reality for the most famous vampire of all that might not be fixed soon.
The standoff between Dracula and the Wolf Man wasn’t a long battle, but it was at least conclusive. Though Count Dracula is known for his immense strength, the physical superiority of the Wolf Man is undeniable inAbbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. It’s an interesting confrontation for both characters, but particularly for Dracula, considering that it’s not often that the Vampire King is challenged on that level.
Dracula’s Fight With The Wolf Man Was Supposed To Be A Separate Movie
It’s Unclear If Bela Lugosi Or John Carradine Would Have Played Dracula
Had Universal’s plans worked out differently,Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein’sDracula vs. Wolf Man fight might have been a rematch. The last movie that featured the two monsters,House of Draculacame together from a script originally titledWolf Man vs. Dracula.AfterHouse of Frankenstein’ssuccess, Universal wanted to make a big-budget sequel, utilizing technicolor and centering on just two of the three monsters from its predecessor.
However, various changes to the script resulted in the idea of a Wolf Man-Dracula focused film getting rebranded as a second crossover forDracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s Monster.Wolf Man vs. Draculanever saw the light of day, but thanks toAbbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, a clash between the two Universal icons happened nonetheless.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Cast
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a comedy horror film that brings together the comedic duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello with iconic Universal monsters. The film follows the misadventures of two freight handlers who find themselves entangled in a series of mishaps involving Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s monster.
