Hotel Transylvania Explained

Hotel Transylvania
Creator:Todd Durham[1]
Years:2012–present
Vgs:List of video games
Attractions:List of attractions

Hotel Transylvania is an American media franchise created by Todd Durham and owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. It consists of four animated feature films, three short films, an animated television series, and several video games.

The first film, Hotel Transylvania, was released in September 2012, with two sequels, Hotel Transylvania 2 and , released in September 2015 and July 2018, respectively. The films have received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide against a combined production budget of $245 million. A fourth and final feature film titled was released on Amazon Prime Video on January 14, 2022, which also received mixed reviews from critics as well.

The series focuses on the adventures surrounding monsters who reside in the titular plaza hotel where they can relax and get away from humans due to fear of persecution.

Origin

Comedy writer Todd Durham came up with the concept of Hotel Transylvania.[2] Durham, after creating the bible for a franchise of several films, television series, video games, books, merchandising, hotel chain, and theme park, took the package unsolicited to Columbia Pictures and set it up at Sony Pictures Animation.[3]

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
Director(s)Screenwriter(s)Story byProducer(s)Distributor
Hotel TransylvaniaGenndy TartakovskyPeter Baynham and Robert SmigelTodd Durham and Kevin Hageman & Dan HagemanMichelle MurdoccaSony Pictures Releasing
Hotel Transylvania 2Robert Smigel & Adam Sandler
Genndy Tartakovsky & Michael McCullers
Derek Drymon & Jennifer KluskaAmos Vernon & Nunzio Randazzo and Genndy TartakovskyGenndy TartakovskyAlice Dewey GoldstoneAmazon Studios

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

See main article: Hotel Transylvania (film). Hotel Transylvania is the first movie of the franchise and it was released in theatres on September 28, 2012. It is about a human named Johnny (Andy Samberg), who accidentally stumbles upon the hotel and instantly falls in love with Dracula's teenage daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez), and eventually dates her, despite Dracula (Adam Sandler) attempting to keep Johnny away from his daughter.

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)

See main article: Hotel Transylvania 2. Hotel Transylvania 2 is the second movie of the franchise and it was released in theatres on September 25, 2015. It is about Mavis and Johnny, who have a half-human/half-vampire son named Dennis. Mavis thinks Hotel Transylvania isn't the right place to raise Dennis and wants to raise him in California. When Dracula is disappointed that Dennis does not have any vampire abilities, he helps his friends make his grandson a vampire. Things get complicated when Dracula's father Vlad (Mel Brooks) shows up.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)

See main article: Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is the third movie of the franchise and it was released in theatres on July 13, 2018. It is about Dracula falling for Ericka (Kathryn Hahn), a great-granddaughter of monster hunter Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan), while on a cruise ship with his family.[4]

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022)

See main article: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is the fourth and final movie of the franchise. It was released on streaming through Amazon Prime Video on January 14, 2022. It is about Dracula, now voiced by Brian Hull, and Johnny teaming up to find a cure to turn themselves back into their old selves before their transformations become permanent.

Television series

Hotel Transylvania: The Series (2017–2020)

See main article: Hotel Transylvania: The Series. A television series based on the film premiered on June 25, 2017, and ended on October 29, 2020. Developed and produced by Nelvana Limited, in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation, the prequel series focused on the 114/115 years of Mavis and her friends at the Hotel Transylvania.[5] Sony Pictures Television handled distribution in the United States, while Nelvana distributed the series outside the United States. It aired on the Disney Channel worldwide.[6]

Motel Transylvania (2025)

In June 2024, Motel Transylvania, a television series set to debut on Netflix in 2025, was announced.[7] The series is set to focus on Dracula and Mavis opening a motel.[8]

Short films

Goodnight Mr. Foot (2012)

Goodnight Mr. Foot is a traditionally animated short film based on Hotel Transylvania, featuring Bigfoot from the film. Premiering in time for Halloween, on October 26, 2012, the short was shown exclusively in Regal Entertainment Group Cinemas, before the theatrical shows of Hotel Transylvania. As Sony Pictures Animation's first traditionally animated film, it was written and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky himself, who also animated the short with the help of Rough Draft Studios. Animated in the style of Bob Clampett, Tex Avery, and Chuck Jones,[9] Tartakovsky created the short in four weeks during the final production stages of the main film.[10] Bigfoot (who had a non-speaking role in Hotel Transylvania) was voiced by Corey Burton while the Witch Maid was voiced by Rose Abdoo. Both voice actors provided additional voices in Hotel Transylvania.[11]

Taking place before the events of Hotel Transylvania, the short stars Bigfoot, whose rest in Hotel Transylvania is being constantly disturbed by an overly enthusiastic witch maid.

Puppy! (2017)

Puppy! is a CG-animated fantasy comedy short film based on Hotel Transylvania, featuring Dennis (voiced by Asher Blinkoff) from Hotel Transylvania 2, with the additional voices of Selena Gomez, reprising her role as Mavis, Andy Samberg as Johnny, and Adam Sandler as Dracula. The film was written and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, and was shown in theaters alongside The Emoji Movie, which was released in the United States on July 28, 2017.[12] The film is set in the hotel, as Dennis convinces Dracula to give him a monster-sized puppy named Tinkles, and the hotel learns to cope with it.[13] The short is a sneak preview of the third film, , which was released on July 13, 2018; Dracula's final line in the short, "I need a vacation...", further reinforces this.

Monster Pets (2021)

Monster Pets is a Hotel Transylvania short film featuring Dracula trying to find a pet companion for his lively puppy, Tinkles. The short was played exclusively at Cinemark Theatres on the weekend following April 1, 2021, before select PG-rated films, and was released online on April 9, 2021.[14] It was directed by Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon, written by Kluska, and produced by Christian Roedel. The short marked the first time that Adam Sandler did not return to voice Dracula and was replaced by voice actor Brian Hull. Hull would reprise the role in the film Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Reception

Box office performance

FilmRelease DateBox Office GrossAll Time RankingBudget (millions)References
DomesticForeignWorldwideclass=sortable Domesticclass=sortable Worldwide
Hotel TransylvaniaSeptember 28, 2012$148,313,048$210,062,555$358,375,603359339$85[15]
Hotel Transylvania 2September 25, 2015$169,700,110$305,099,890$474,800,000282215$80[16]
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer VacationJuly 13, 2018$167,510,016$361,073,758$528,583,774290187$65–80[17] [18]
Hotel Transylvania: TransformaniaJanuary 14, 2022$18,480,000$18,480,0005,626$75[19] [20]
Total$485,523,174$894,716,203$1,380,239,3772316$320[21]

Critical and public response

FilmRotten TomatoesMetacriticCinemaScore
Hotel Transylvania45% (143 reviews)[22] 47 (32 reviews)[23] A−[24] [25]
Hotel Transylvania 256% (110 reviews)[26] 44 (24 reviews)[27] A−[28]
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation62% (119 reviews)[29] 54 (23 reviews)[30] A−[31]
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania47% (78 reviews)[32] 46 (15 reviews)[33]

Cast and characters

See also: List of Hotel Transylvania characters.

CharactersFilmsShort filmsTelevision seriesVideo games
Hotel TransylvaniaHotel Transylvania 2
Transformania
Goodnight Mr. FootPuppy!Monster Pets
The Series
Motel TransylvaniaHotel Transylvania 3: Monsters Overboard Scary-Tale Adventures
Season 1Season 2
Count DraculaAdam SandlerBrian HullAdam SandlerBrian HullDavid BerniIvan SherryBrock PowellBrian Hull
Jonathan "Johnny" LoughranAndy SambergAndy SambergBrian T. StevensonDanny Gendron
Mavis Dracula-LoughranSelena GomezSelena GomezSelena GomezSelena GomezBryn McAuleyMellissa Sturm
Sadie SandlerVictoria Gomez
FrankKevin JamesBrad AbrellPaul BraunsteinDanny GendronBrad Abrell
WayneSteve BuscemiMichael Buescemi
MurrayCeeLo GreenKeegan-Michael KeyKeegan-Michael KeyKyle Chapple
GriffinDavid SpadeDaniel Bonjour
EuniceFran Drescher
WandaMolly Shannon
WinnieSadie SandlerZoe BerriZoe Berri
BlobbyJonny SolomonGenndy Tartakovsky
BigfootCorey Burton
FlyChris Parnell
Quasimodo WilsonJon LovitzScott McCord
MarthaJackie Sandler
DennisAsher BlinkoffAsher BlinkoffAsher BlinkoffAsher Blinkoff
Sunny Sandler
Mike LoughranNick Offerman
Linda LoughranMegan Mullally
VladMel Brooks
DanaDana Carvey
BelaRob Riggle
Brandon
Chris Kattan
KelseyNick SwardsonMichelle Murdocca
Ericka Dracula
(née Van Helsing)
Kathryn HahnJulianne Buescher
Professor Abraham Van HelsingJim Gaffigan
StanChris Parnell
KrakenJoe Jonas
CrystalChrissy Teigen
TinklesJoe WhyteJoe WhyteDerek Drymon
Puppy BlobbyGenndy TartakovskyGenndy Tartakovsky
Gremlin PilotAaron LaPlante
Gremlin Stewardess
Party MonsterRichard "Ninja" Blevins
TootsJennifer Kluska
Aunt LydiaDan Chameroy
Wendy BlobEvany Rosen
Hank N. SteinGage Munroe
PedroJoseph Motiki
Uncle GenePatrick McKenna
KlausCarter Hayden

Crew

RoleFilmsTelevision series
Hotel TransylvaniaHotel Transylvania 2Motel Transylvania
DirectorGenndy TartakovskyDerek Drymon and Jennifer KluskaRobin Budd
ProducerMichelle MurdoccaAlice Dewey GoldstoneJane Crawford
Co-producer(s)Lydia BottegoniSkye LyonsCarey A. SmithRyan Gilleland
Executive producer(s)Adam Sandler
Robert Smigel
Allen Covert
Adam Sandler
Robert Smigel
Allen Covert
Ben Waisbren
Genndy Tartakovsky
Michelle Murdocca
Selena Gomez
Rick Mischel
Scott Dyer
Irene Weibel
Writer(s)
Peter Baynham
Robert Smigel

Todd Durham
Dan Hageman
Kevin Hageman
Robert Smigel
Adam Sandler
Genndy Tartakovsky[34]
Michael McCullers

Amos Vernon
Nunzio Randazzo
Genndy Tartakovsky

Genndy Tartakovsky[35]
Various
Composer(s)Mark MothersbaughStephen Skratt
Asher Lenz
Editor(s)Catherine AppleJoyce ArrastiaLynn Hobson[36]
Production CompaniesSony Pictures AnimationSony Pictures Animation
LStar Capital
MRC
Sony Pictures Animation
MRC
Sony Pictures Animation
Nelvana
Corus Entertainment
Sony Pictures Animation
DistributorColumbia Pictures
Sony Pictures Releasing
Amazon StudiosSony Pictures TelevisionNetflix

Video games

A social game based on the film, titled Hotel Transylvania Social Game and made by Sony Pictures Interactive, was released on August 15, 2012. The game allows players to create their own Hotel Transylvania, where they must take care of the hotel's guests.[37]

Another video game, titled Hotel Transylvania, developed by WayForward Technologies and published by GameMill Entertainment, was released on September 18, 2012, for Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS at retail.[38] [39] The Nintendo 3DS version of the game was also released digitally in the Nintendo eShop in North America on November 15, 2012.[40]

A mobile game, titled Hotel Transylvania Dash, developed by Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. and PlayFirst, was released to iTunes App Store on September 20, 2012. The game is a variation of Hotel Dash and features the film's art and characters.[41]

A mobile storybook game, titled Hotel Transylvania BooClips Deluxe, developed by Castle Builders and Sony Pictures Animation, was released on the iTunes App Store, Nook Store, Google Play for Android, iBookstore, Microsoft's Metro, and for PC and Mac via BooClips, both in English and in Spanish, on September 20, 2012.[42]

A third video game based on , Hotel Transylvania 3 Monsters Overboard, published by Outright Games, was released on July 13, 2018.[43]

A video game based on the franchise, Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures, developed by Drakhar Studio and published by Outright Games, was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One on March 11, 2022.

Theme park attractions

In December 2016, a dark ride based on the franchise opened at Motiongate Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[44] In April 2021, another ride based on the film series opened at Dream Island in Moscow, Russia.[45] In October 2021, a new themed-land, based on the film franchise, opened at Columbia Pictures Aquaverse in Sattahip, Chonburi, Thailand.[46]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Columbia Pictures Press Kit - Hotel Transylvania. 2017-08-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20121222034223/http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2012/hotel_transylvania/notes.pdf. 2012-12-22. dead.
  2. Web site: Production Notes - Hotel Transylvania. 2017-08-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20121222034223/http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2012/hotel_transylvania/notes.pdf. 2012-12-22. dead.
  3. Web site: Art of Hotel Transylvania . October 21, 2019 .
  4. News: Moore. Debi. Synopsis and More Details on Hotel Transylvania 3 - Dread Central. 19 January 2017. Dread Central. 18 January 2017.
  5. News: Steinberg. Brian. Nelvana, Sony Pictures Animation Ready 'Hotel Transylvania' For TV. November 3, 2015. Variety. July 14, 2015.
  6. Web site: Pederson. Erik. Sony Animation Dates 'Hotel Transylvania 3', 'Emojimovie' & More; 'Ghostbusters' TV Series Set. Deadline. June 21, 2016. June 20, 2016.
  7. Web site: Timothy Olyphant To Voice Terminator In Animated Netflix Series. Deadline Hollywood. Peter. White. June 6, 2024. June 6, 2024. June 6, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240606212044/https://deadline.com/2024/06/timothy-olyphant-terminator-animated-netflix-series-1235960994/. live.
  8. Web site: Timothy Olyphant to Star in Netflix’s ‘Terminator Zero’; Plus ‘Plankton’ Movie and ‘Motel Transylvania’ Among Animation Slate. Variety. Carolyn. Giardina. Jordan. Moreau. June 6, 2024. June 6, 2024. June 6, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240606212018/https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/timothy-olyphant-terminator-zero-netflix-1236027699/. live.
  9. News: No Trick, Big Halloween Treat from Sony Pictures Animation's HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA Director Genndy Tartakovsky. November 3, 2015. PR Newswire. October 25, 2012. Sony Pictures Animation.
  10. News: Beck. Jerry. Sony Releases Genndy Tartakovsky's new short "Goodnight Mr. Foot". November 3, 2015. Cartoon Brew. October 25, 2012.
  11. News: Alexander. Bryan. New Bigfoot sighting in 'Hotel Transylvania' short film. November 3, 2015. USA Today. October 24, 2012.
  12. Web site: Sony Pictures Animation Details Upcoming Slate, Including Julia Roberts' 'Smurfs' Role. January 18, 2017. January 20, 2017.
  13. Web site: Sony Pictures Animation Unveils 'Spider-Man,' 'Hotel Transylvania 3,' 'Smurfs' And More. . January 19, 2017. January 20, 2017.
  14. Web site: Sarto . Dan . See the Just Released 'Hotel Transylvania Short,' 'Monster Pets' . . April 9, 2021 . May 13, 2021.
  15. Hotel Transylvania. 0837562. March 4, 2021.
  16. 2510894 . Hotel Transylvania 2 . March 4, 2021.
  17. Web site: Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) - Financial Information . The Numbers.
  18. 5220122. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. March 4, 2021.
  19. Web site: Daily Box Office > China. 2023-11-13. entgroup. February 27, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180227085021/http://english.entgroup.cn/boxoffice/cn/daily/. dead.
  20. Web site: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania . 2023-11-13. The Numbers.
  21. Web site: Hotel Transylvania Movies at the Box Office. Box Office Mojo.
  22. Web site: Hotel Transylvania (2012). . September 28, 2012 . May 28, 2016 .
  23. Web site: Hotel Transylvania . . May 28, 2016 .
  24. News: Cunningham . Todd . 'Hotel Transylvania': Monster Debut Puts It on Pace for $38M Box-Office Weekend . . September 29, 2012 . July 9, 2018 . October 30, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030223110/https://www.thewrap.com/hotel-transylvania-monster-debut-puts-it-pace-38m-box-office-weekend-58531/ . dead .
  25. Web site: Cinemascore . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ . 2018-12-20 .
  26. Web site: Hotel Transylvania 2 . . September 25, 2015 . April 10, 2020 .
  27. Web site: Hotel Transylvania 2 reviews . . May 28, 2016.
  28. Web site: 'Hotel Transylvania 2' At $48.5M Marks Record Opening For Adam Sandler; 'Intern' Slacks On Sunday – Monday Postmortem . Anthony . D'Alessandro . . . September 28, 2015 . July 9, 2018 .
  29. Web site: Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) . . July 13, 2018 . August 3, 2021 .
  30. Web site: Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Reviews . . April 10, 2020 .
  31. Web site: 'Hotel Transylvania 3' $2.6M Thursday Night Taller Than Dwayne Johnson's $1.95M 'Skyscraper' . . . July 14, 2018 . Anthony . D'Alessandro . July 13, 2018 .
  32. Web site: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022) . . January 30, 2022 .
  33. Web site: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania . . January 30, 2022.
  34. Web site: Sony Pictures Animation. Sony Pictures Animation. 29 March 2017. October 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191007112753/http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/films.php?s=hoteltransylvania3. dead.
  35. Web site: Goofy First Trailer for Sequel 'Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania' . First Showing . Alex . Billington . May 17, 2021 . May 17, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210517153729/https://www.firstshowing.net/2021/goofy-first-trailer-for-sequel-hotel-transylvania-4-transformania/ . May 17, 2021 . live.
  36. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-hobson-3a24317 Lynn Hobson Lead Editor at Sony Pictures Animation
  37. News: Sony Pictures Interactive Opens a Hotel Game on Facebook. November 3, 2015. PR Newswire. August 15, 2012. Sony Pictures Interactive.
  38. News: GameMill Entertainment Goes Hollywood With Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania; Coming Soon To Nintendo DS And Nintendo 3DS. November 3, 2015. Gamasutra. July 23, 2012.
  39. Web site: Hotel Transylvania NDS. Amazon. November 3, 2015.
  40. Web site: Nintendo News: Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content for Nintendo Systems . November 15, 2012 . Business Wire . November 3, 2015.
  41. News: Zahed. Ramin. Sony to Launch 'Hotel Transylvania' Mobile Game. November 3, 2015. Animation Magazine. July 17, 2012.
  42. Castle Builders . Castle Builders (IL) Launches Hotel Transylvania BooClips Deluxe App With Interactive Storybook and Cookbook Based on Sony Pictures Animation's Family Comedy. November 3, 2015. BooClips.com . September 14, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20160122031612/http://www.booclips.com/Books/Assets/Castle%20Builders%20-%20%20SONY%20Hotel%20Transylvania%20PR.pdf. January 22, 2016.
  43. Bandai Namco . Popular movie franchise HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch" and PC! . . April 5, 2021 . April 30, 2018.
  44. News: MacDonald. Brady. What to expect at Dubai's 'Hollywood in the desert' theme park. November 1, 2016. Los Angeles Times. October 23, 2015.
  45. Web site: 'Hotel Transylvania' Attraction Checks Into Russia's Dream Island Theme Park . . Nancy . Tartaglione . April 15, 2021 . April 15, 2021.
  46. Web site: Sony Announces First Branded Theme Park: Columbia Pictures' Aquaverse in Thailand . . Jeremy . Fuster . April 6, 2021 . April 15, 2021.