The Evolution of Frankenstein's Monster (Animated - Universal Timeline)
This article contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase a product through an affiate link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
With scavenged parts, Dr. Frankenstein is ready to bring life to his creation. But just how has Universal’s Frankenstein Monster evolved and been revived? Let’s dig in now...animated!
warning: spoilers ahead!In the first film, Frankenstein’s monster wears lifted boots and a padded suit with shortened sleeves and a tiny lapel. He has a prominent scar on his square-shaped head and a metal clasp covered by slick black hair. He’s gaunt, with droopy eyelids, heavy eye bags, and dark lips, and he has his signature neck bolts. Plus, in his dome, he’s housing a deranged brain. This cobbled corpse accidentally runs amok, resulting in an angry mob burning him down.
Although the sequel, The Bride of Frankenstein, shows he survived! He’s battle-damaged and his singed hair reveals more metal clasps. The dark eyes are gone, his scar is reshaped, and he’s less gaunt. He’s also taught how to speak by a blind hermit. Later, the monster insists on having a bride. This creation looks suspiciously like the novel's author, Mary Shelley. She sports a white dress and mummy wrappings, while her upright hairdo has added streaks. After this new creation rejects the monster, he chooses to self-destruct them both.
The third film, Son of Frankenstein, reveals the monster sleeping in a coma. Although he’s awoken by the son of Frankenstein and Ygor. He’s no longer crispy, his shoes are simplified, and he’s rocking a fuzzy vest with a loose-sleeved shirt. His forehead scar is longer while his bangs are trimmed, and he’s lost all power of speech. Interestingly, colour footage of this outfit was shot. Ygor manipulates Frankenstein’s monster to eliminate his enemies, although the monster is stopped when knocked into molten sulphur.
In the fourth film, The Ghost of Frankenstein, the monster is taller, lacks the fuzzy coat ensemble, and his sleeves and lapel are longer. His head is more square, with rounded features, added moles, and a wider scar. In this film, Ygor scavenges the monster from hardened sulfur, and later, has his own brain transplanted into the monster, giving him unlimited power! But he loses his sight, then clumsily perishes in a fire.
The monster, in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, is – somehow – found frozen and then quickly released. He’s more rotund with a circular head, less droopy eyes and has one less mole. Although, he occasionally looks young and chiselled. There’s also no mention of the Ygor brain swap. The monster is given a power upgrade and faces a furry foe, but they both get washed away.
The sequel, House of Frankenstein, finds the monster frozen again. He’s gained height, has a longer head, droopier eyes, and an extended scar. Once more, he powers up!…only to drown in quicksand.
In the continuation, House of Dracula, after his mud bath, he’s given another jumpstart but is taken down by reused footage.
In the Abbott and Costello crossover, his master, Dracula, unboxes him. This monster’s forehead scar is more realistic, the clamps more protruding, his neck bolts and mole are higher and he has lengthier sideburns. Oh, and he can talk again! However, when chasing two dimwitted fools, he fumbles into a fire and falls into a lake.
Frankenstein: The True Story’s creation looks beautiful, and dresses in fitted fineries. But he mostly wears a brown jacket, beige pants, and tall boots. Notably, this creation slowly starts decaying. Our Adam is also given an Eve, who wears elegant dresses to hide her neck scars. But the monster loses interest in her pretty swiftly. In the end, creation and creator are given peace in an avalanche.
In Monster Force, a beefy Frank has purple-y skin, shaved sides, and yellow eye-whites. He dons a green overcoat, and a yellow tee paired with brown pants. This monster can shoot lasers, while his bride has added neck bolts, wears a pink and black ensemble, and still isn’t fond of Frank.
The monster in the mini-series, House of Frankenstein, is found frozen, and mostly looks like a decaying Dad, with an added hunch, and is outfitted in a fresh blue shirt and black shoes. This ghoul is, for some reason, sought by a mean ol’ bat.
The Chipmunks crossover monster wears a green jacket, dark brown pants, thick platform shoes, and has sharp canine teeth. This creature eventually becomes a bus driver and is taught how to speak by his chipmunk friends. “Is everyone on board?”
Van Helsing’s reboot monster has pale lavender-coloured skin with added mechanical parts and electric domes, and he wears a ragged duster. Also, his brain cap can pop off and he has an electrical blast. Dracula intends to use this monster's life force to birth his offspring, but Van Helsing has other plans…
And, with countless other appearances, let us know if you want to see more animations of Frankenstein’s Monster and leave a comment on the animation!
Hey, I’m back and ready to rank Freddy Fazbear designs from worst to best! All of his main designs including the movie version!