Top 45 Monster Movie and TV Posts in 2022
Monster Complex’s most-read posts last year focusing on monster stories in film and television.
We regularly talk a lot about monster fiction in all media—from classic literary works and the Universal Monsters to Japanese monster movies and urban fantasy series. At Monster Complex, we do our best to explore the popular—and the deserving of more popularity—stories and characters from this world.
As such, we talk a lot about monsters that appear on televisions and at the movies. As we enter 2023, here are last year’s most-read posts about monster movies and TV shows. This includes articles about such shows as Supernatural and Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Munsters and even Saturday Night Live to films like zombie comedies, vampire movies, space movies, and flicks where different monsters clash.
Take a look at the list below and maybe find something you really want to watch…
Related links:
#1 The Supernatural Book Series in Order
The CW television series Supernatural (2005-2020) follows brothers Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) as they hunt all manner of supernatural beings, including monsters, ghosts, demons, and more. The long-running show spawned a number of tie-in books, including a series of novels that expanded on the stories in the Supernatural universe. Find a complete list of the official Supernatural novels!
#2 The Munsters vs. Addams Family: Which Came First?
The Addams Family and The Munsters were essentially developed at the same time, and both ran for two seasons each. Which Is Television’s True First Family of Fright? The Munsters vs. Addams Family: Which Came First? Find out more about both shows here.
#3 Top 13 Zombie Comedy Movies
It’s a zombie apocalypse and I feel fine. Looking for a good zom-com? Just when it looked like the zombie flick might have no more innovations left, these filmmakers found a way to mix laughs and scares to bring new life to the genre. For this list, we’re ranking 13 of the best funny zombie movies any fan should check out. With a real-life pandemic sweeping the world, this makes for great time to sit back, relax, and laugh with some of the best tales of the undead out there. Find out more info about these movies (plus a surprise bonus) here.
#4 Complete List of Universal Monsters Movies (1923-1960)
The classic Universal Monsters film series has continued to resonate with classic horror movie fans for nearly a hundred years. Anchored by some of the most iconic movie monsters, the Universal Monsters stable includes Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, the Phantom of the Opera, the Invisible Man, and the Creature From the Black Lagoon. Find out more here.
#5 ‘Hotel Transylvania 4’ Skipping Theaters, Headed For Streaming
In a world where Dracula opened a hotel exclusively for monsters, Van Helsing’s mysterious “Monsterfication Ray” turns Johnny into a monster, while transforming Drac and his monster pals into humans! Find out more about the latest installment in the classic animated film series!
#6 Terror in Space: 16 Horror Movies Set In Outer Space
What are the best space horror movies? In the history of cinema, there have been quite a few scary space movies, as the terrors of outer space have been explored on screen for decades—ranging from the inherent dangers of space travel to hostile aliens and the horrors of what we may find out there. Find more in this article about a dozen movies—and (bonus!) one book—that combine elements of horror and science fiction to create scary stories set in outer space.
#7 The Munsters: Is Herman Munster Really Frankenstein’s Monster? (Well…)
On classic 1960s sitcom The Munsters, Herman Munster is the the spitting image of Universal’s Frankenstein’s Monster. But the show established at least three different monsters created by Doctor Victor Frankenstein. Find out more here.
#8 The Munsters: Why Is Eddie Munster A Werewolf?
Eddie Munster just wants to be a typical, all-American boy. Except, you know, for being part werewolf and part vampire. But how can the child of a zombie and a vampire be a werewolf? Find out more here.
#9 22 Monsters Who Are Marvel Superheroes
With all the Marvel movies hitting theaters and streaming, it’s time to celebrate Marvel Comics’ dual legacies of monsters and superheroes—including (believe it or not) Godzilla! Our list also includes info on Werewolf by Night, Frankenstein’s monster, Blade, She-Hulk, Venom and more. Find out more here.
#10 Monster Mash: 13 Movies Where Frankenstein Meets Dracula Meets The Wolf Man
Here are key movies that team up the iconic Universal Monsters. From the 1920s through to the 1950s, Universal Studios was the go-to place for classic monster movies. However, as the Universal Monsters films latched onto iconic franchise characters that could carry a film series, soon came the urge to have the various monsters meet up. So they did—to varying degrees of success. Read on for a list of 13 monster movies that feature some combination of Frankenstein’s monster, Count Dracula, the Wolf Man, and assorted vampires, werewolves, mummies, and more. See the whole article here.
#11 The X-Files Novels in Order
The X-Files is a TV series revolving primarily around FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigating inexplicable cases that have been cataloged as “X-Files.” The series originally aired for nine seasons (1993-2002), returned for a season ten in 2016 and a season eleven in 2018. There were also two feature films, 1998’s The X-Files and 2008’s The X-Files: I Want to Believe. The series also inspired several works of fiction, including adaptions of episodes and original novels. Find out more here.
#12 Flashback: SNL—The Devil on ‘People’s Court’ (Jon Lovitz) - 1986
During his tenure on Saturday Night Live, Jon Lovitz played Mephistopheles in a few different sketches. In this memorable clip from 1986, a dissatisfied client takes the devil to television courtroom show The People’s Court. Watch the whole video here.
#13 Top 7 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Episodes
Kolchak Best Episodes, Episode Guide, Why Was It Canceled, Watch Episodes Free Online: Best-known to younger TV viewers as one of the inspirations for the X-Files, the short-lived horror TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker starred Darren McGavin as wise-cracking reporter Carl Kolchak. Somehow he continually stumbled across outrageous news stories that inevitably involved horrific supernatural or paranormal beings like vampires, werewolves and aliens. Unfortunately, his editor never ran his stories—so the public never learned about each close call. However, Kolchak never allowed his lot in life to keep him from seeking out the truth—at whatever cost. Find out more about the show here.
#14 The Munsters: 13 Secrets Every Fan Should Know
In the pantheon of sitcom families, there are few as memorable as The Munsters. Despite being an iconic show in American culture, here are 13 things you may not know about the series. Find out more here.
#15 SNL: “The Unknown Caller” Chad Horror Movie (Pete Davidson and SPOILER)
If you ever find yourself stalked by a slasher, Saturday Night Live regular Pete Davidson—or, more accurately, his character Chad—is the guy you want by your side. In this Scream-inspired sketch, Chad is lazy, slow-witted, and simply aggravating. Which, it turn out, is exactly what’s needed for this slasher (played by this episode’s guest star). Click here to watch.
#16 The Munsters in Color: 9 Examples Since 1964
While The Munsters are better looking in black & white, there have actually been lots of times they were in color. We’ll share several examples of how the family returned to the screen. Find out more here.
#17 She-Hulk on Disney+: 8 Facts You Should Know Before Watching The Series UPDATED
Want to know more about the Green Giantess? The main character from the Disney+ TV show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been around more than 40 years—but she’s not as well-known as the Hulk. We dug into her past and shared lots of info about the gamma-irradiated character’s origins and her background from the comics. Find out more here.
Related links:
* Megan Thee Stallion on “Crazy” Addams Family + She-Hulk twerking
* Why ‘She-Hulk’ paid tribute to 1970s Hulk series starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno
* She-Hulk + More Characters That Talk to the Audience
* She-Hulk Is Back to Shake Up the Marvel Universe in New Comic Series
#18 100 Best Horror Comedy Movies of All Time - Best Funny Scary Movies
A for a whole range of tastes—from zombie comedies (zom-coms?) and funny vampire tales to ghost stories and monster-centric animated features for the whole family. Find out more here.
#19 Supernatural Books: Who Writes the Supernatural Books?
List Of Authors Who Write Novels or Books About the Popular TV Series Supernatural: The TV series Supernatural, created by Eric Kripke, starred Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester. The series followed the two brothers as they hunted demons, ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural beings. The long-running show spawned a number of tie-in books, including a series of Supernatural novels that expanded on the world of the series. Find our list of authors who wrote books featuring or about Supernatural!
#20 Frankenstein: Complete Universal Monsters Movies
The iconic horror film series still resonates decades later. Following the success of Dracula, Universal Studios moved from strength to strength with Frankenstein. Inspired by the novel by Mary Shelley, the famed story had already been adapted into multiple stage productions and even one film. Starring Boris Karloff under iconic makeup by Jack Pierce, the Universal Monsters approach to the monster haunted generations of filmgoers. It led to numerous sequels, including crossovers with the Wolf Man, Dracula, and even the Abbott and Costello film series. Find out more about the Frankenstein movies here. (Part of a series celebrating the many versions of Frankenstein’s Monster.)
#21 The Mummy: Complete Universal Monsters Movies
The success of Dracula and Frankenstein inspired Universal to dig up another monster icon. Following the box office successes of Dracula and Frankenstein, Universal commissioned a new monster movie inspired by the media sensation caused by the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 and the “Curse of the Pharaohs.” The original 1932 film The Mummy is about an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered by a team of archeologists and brought back to life through a magic scroll. Now alive in modern day, the mummy searches for his lost love, whom he believes has been reincarnated into a modern woman. The film led to a series of sequels, although the continuity that threaded them together was so loose that they never again referenced the mummy from the original film. Find out more about the movies here.
#22 Wolf Man: Complete Universal Monsters Movies
Universal’s Wolf Man Set a Precedent for Werewolf Lore. Although not Universal’s first werewolf picture, 1941’s The Wolf Man launched one of the most important series in the Universal Monsters movies canon, one infused as much with tragedy as with horror. It was through this series that the studio saw a way to combine together different franchises—crossing over the Wolf Man films with Frankenstein, Dracula, and even Abbott and Costello. Find out more about the movie series here.
#23 26 Swamp Monsters from Myths, Comics, X-Files, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more
Muck monsters have appeared in several places. There are swamp monsters on TV shows, in movies, comic books—and, as you’ll see in this list, there are other sources involved as well, from mythology and Beowulf, to legendary authors Theodore Sturgeon and R.L. Stine. Find out more.
#24 Dracula: Complete Universal Monsters Movies
“Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.” Since its publication in 1897, Bram Stoker's novel Dracula has enthralled generations of readers with the alluring malevolence of its undead Count, the most famous vampire in literature. In this post, we talk about the original novel, about Bela Lugosi's classic portrayal in 1931’s film Dracula, and offer a complete list of Universal Monsters movies with Dracula. Find out more about the original novel and the Universal movies about Dracula (and his family) here.
#25 Frankenstein’s Monster: 13 versions—from flipped-out to frightening
The creature from Mary Shelley’s 1800s novel Frankenstein is one of the most recognized icons in storytelling, having spent more than 200 years being adapted into all sorts of media. Find out more here.
#26 Top 5 Underrated Vampire Movies
Filmmakers have been cranking out movies about vampires for nearly as long as filmmakers have been cranking out movies. In fact, Dracula has been the subject of more films than any other fictional character—with the exception of Sherlock Holmes. Over the years, the silver screen has seen vampire films make billions of dollars. But for every blockbuster vampire film, there are scores of films that fell through the cracks—or have fallen out of favor with modern movie audiences. Monster Complex friend Van Barnett offers five vampire movies that deserve a second look. Discover more about these movies here!
#27 New Harry Potter TV Coming to HBO Max, Cartoon Network, TBS
Plans Include Interactive TV Quiz, New Adaptation of Original Books. In the twenty years after Daniel Radcliffe first portrayed the boy wizard in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the franchise has exploded from books and movies to include a Broadway play, theme park rides, videogames, retail stores—and now TV shows. Find out more here.
#28 SNL: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
“There’s Something on the Wing!” SNL with host Jude Law and musical guest Pearl Jam parodied the iconic Twilight Zone episode starring William Shatner where “there’s something on the wing!” Find out more—and watch the video—here.
#29 Anne Rice’s ‘Vampire Chronicles,’ ‘Mayfair Witches’ At AMC
“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof.” A look at what Anne Rice calls the the “most significant and thrilling deal” of her career, plus an overview of the impact of The Vampire Chronicles on literature, screen, and the stage—and the future with AMC. Find out more about the books and the adaptations here.
#30 True Blood Reboot Still in Early Stages
There's a True Blood Series in the works, but HBO is taking its time. With so many fans of the original show, itself based on the beloved book series Southern Vampire Mysteries from author Charlaine Harris, they’re likely taking it slowly to make sure everybody is happy. Find out more details here.
#31 Godzilla Monsters Ranked Weakest To Strongest [Video]
This video ranks the strongest of the kaiju to appear in the world’s longest running film series, including favorites Mothra, Rodan, King Kong, and many more. Find out more here.
#32 Harry Potter: The Problem of Representation in the Series
“Parvati and Padma were likely never meant to be more than harmless background characters, but … it would've been nice to see a white author allow them to wield that power in a meaningful, awe-inspiring way.” In an article for Insider, Sruthi Darbhamulla relates how J.K. Rowling’s half-hearted attempt at Indian representation in the Harry Potter book series led her to relate more to the white female lead, Hermione Granger. “I related much more to Hermione than to the characters who looked more like me.” Find out more here.
#33 50 Most-Searched-For Zombie Comedy Movies 2020
Here Are Zombie Movies Even For People Who Don’t (Necessarily) Like Zombie Movies. Zombie stories are more popular than ever—including horror fiction, TV series, video games, and movies. But in the past several years, there’s been an explosion of zombie movies that play it all for laughs. And when folks want to know about ‘em, they head for their local search engine. Here’s a list of the 50 zombie comedies that are RIGHT NOW the most search-for titles according to Google. (Listed in reverse order of the year they were released.) Find out more about these movies here.
#34 Complete Gamera: Giant Monster Movies
Gamera is a giant monster, or kaiju, that appeared in a dozen Japanese films. Intended to compete with Godzilla, Gamera has become a Japanese icon in his own right… Find out more here.
#35 The GODZILLA Issue: Godzilla, Kong, and Gamera Movies, Games, Cartoons, More
Celebrating Toho’s legendary kaiju, plus Godzilla’s enemies (like King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla) and Godzilla’s allies (like Kong, Mothra, and Rodan). Find all the articles on this webpage!
#36 The Munsters: Help Wanted - Herman Gets New Jobs
For a guy who worked so many years at a funeral home, Herman Munster sure took on a lot of new jobs. Find out more here.
#37 The Munsters: 6 Episodes Where Herman Munster Goes Out For Sports
Over the course of its classic run, the horror comedy The Munsters featured several episodes where Herman Munster was pressed to demonstrate his prowess (or lack thereof) in sports. Find out more here.
#38 Count Dracula: 13 versions—from dizzy to daring
The most famous vampire is one of the most adapted characters in history. The title character from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula—who became known as “Grandpa” on The Munsters—has been popular over time, and has appeared in so many adaptations, riffs, and parodies in all kind of media. More than 200 films have been made that feature Count Dracula, a number that is reportedly only second to films featuring Sherlock Holmes. Click through to see 13 versions of the Count worth paying attention to from a variety of media.
#39 Universal Monsters Movies: The Original Shared Cinematic Universe
Looking Back at the Film Series That Brought Together the Frankenstein Monster, Count Dracula, and the Wolf Man: From the 1920s through to the 1950s, Universal Monsters was the go-to place for classic monster movies. Over the years, as they latched onto franchise characters that could carry a film series, soon came the urge to have the various monsters meet up. As such, they found ways to combine monster movie icons Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Wolf Man, into a single narrative. It wasn’t always great, but it sure was fun. Find out more information about the Universal Monsters shared universe here.
#40 Top 31 Hilarious Vampire Comedy Movies
Vampires are scary monsters a lot of the time (setting aside romantic stories for the moment). But vampires can also turn up in some uproarious comedies, from their appearances as part of The Munsters to 1948 classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and 1987’s Lost Boys to more modern gems like What We Do in the Shadows and Hotel Transylvania. Check out our list below starting our countdown of thirty-one comedies with vampires. Each entry includes some behind-the-scenes details for the movie, plus several videos that offer even more info. See a list of all the funny vampire movies here.
#41 Underworld Series: Complete List of Films + Game
Underworld is a series of action horror films revolving around a war between vampires and werewolves. Click through for a compete list of movies and products, as well as more info about the series.
#42 Complete Mothra: Giant Monster Movies
A kaiju that first appeared in the novel The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Takehiko Fukunaga, the giant lepidopteran Mothra made her film debut in 1961's Mothra. One of Toho’s most popular monsters, Mothra is second only to Godzilla in her total number of film appearances. Find out more here.
#43 The Munsters: 5 Best Grandpa Dracula Episodes
Classic sitcom The Munsters (1964-1966) featured a regular, suburban family that just happened to also be related to the Universal Monsters. The family of monsters included the retired Count Dracula, the daughter of Dracula, a version of Frankenstein’s Monster, a werewolf and a niece that was normal. (Granted, the family thought she was the weird one.) Find out more about their version of vampire Count Dracula here.
#44 Flashback: John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’ (1982) inspired a generation of filmmakers
John Carpenter’s 1982 science fiction monster movie The Thing is less a remake of Howard Hawks’ 1951 film than a more faithful adaptation of the original 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. story “Who Goes There?” While the film opened to poor box office, but over the years it has grown into a classic. The Thing inspired a generation of filmmakers—and spawned games, comic books, a haunted house attraction, and a 2011 prequel film. In 2020, it was reported that Universal Pictures and Blumhouse are partnering for a new version. Find out more and watch movie clips of the original film here.
#45 ‘Supernatural’ Prequel In Development at The CW
Supernatural, the hit CW drama starring Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, is getting a spinoff revolving around the Winchesters’ parents. The one-hour drama will be produced by Chaos Machine Productions, the production banner of Jensen and his wife Danneel Ackles, through their overall deal with Warner Bros. Television. See the original post here.
