Want To See Dracula Fight A Werewolf? Watch This Amazing 1948 Horror Movie

Two cornerstones of the horror genre clashed when Count Dracula and the Wolf Man came to blows in Abbott & 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 of Universal’s horror movies, the studio started mixing its monsters together and delivering crossovers, such as Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein, and House 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 starring Bud 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 Frankenstein made 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 with Bela Lugosi’s Dracula and 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.

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 in Abbott & 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’s Dracula vs. Wolf Man fight might have been a rematch. The last movie that featured the two monsters, House of Dracula came together from a script originally titled Wolf Man vs. Dracula. After House of Frankenstein’s success, 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 for Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s Monster. Wolf Man vs. Dracula never saw the light of day, but thanks to Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, a clash between the two Universal icons happened nonetheless.

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.

Director

Charles Barton

Release Date

June 15, 1948

Studio(s)

Universal International Pictures , Universal Pictures

Writers

Frederic I. Rinaldo , John Grant , Robert Lees

Cast

Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Lon Chaney Jr. , Béla Lugosi , Glenn Strange

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