• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV on YouTube
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Bluesky
    • Linktree
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • The Baby in the Basket
  • Death Among the Pines

The Dark Universe That Never Was: A Short History of Universal’s Failed Monster Franchise

June 1, 2020 by EJ Moreno

EJ Moreno on the short history of Universal’s Dark Universe…

Join our host EJ Moreno as he ventures back to 2017 to figure out what happened to the Dark Universe.

Universal Pictures had a short-lived plan to create a cinematic universe, a la the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it didn’t last more than a year. Was it the strange castings (including the likes of Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem and Sofia Boutella) or the lackluster reaction to 2017’s The Mummy that ultimately led to its demise?

Let’s go on a short, yet compelling journey…

What are your thoughts on the Dark Universe? Are you disappointed that it didn’t get beyond the one movie, or was it an ill-conceived plan from the start? Let us know in the comments or on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…

 

Originally published June 1, 2020. Updated June 17, 2020.

Filed Under: Articles and Opinions, EJ Moreno, Flickering Myth TV, Movies Tagged With: Bride of Frankenstein, Dark Universe, Dracula Untold, Javier Bardem, Johnny Depp, Sofia Boutella, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, Tom Cruise, Universal Monsters

About EJ Moreno

EJ Moreno is a film and television critic and entertainment writer who joined the pop culture website Flickering Myth in 2018 and now serves as the executive producer of Flickering Myth TV, a YouTube channel with over 27,000 subscribers. With over a decade of experience, he is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who is also part of the Critics Choice Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Returning to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

7 Chilling Killer Kid Movies You Need To See

Godzilla Minus One and the Essential Toho Godzilla Movies

2025 in Film: What Did We Learn?

American Psycho at 25: The Story Behind the Satirical Horror Classic

Nowhere Left to Hide: The Rise of Tech-Savvy Killers in Horror

Speed: The Story Behind the Pulse-Pounding Action-Thriller

The Blockbuster Comic Book Movie Problem: The Box Office Cliff Edge

Great Movies Guaranteed To Creep You Out

Whatever Happened to the Horror Icon?

Top Stories:

10 Forgotten Erotic Thrillers of the 1980s

Movie Review – In Cold Light (2025)

4K Ultra HD Review – One Battle After Another (2025)

From Dusk Till Dawn at 30: The Story Behind the Cult Classic Horror Genre Mash-Up

A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms Episode 1 Review – ‘The Hedge Knight’

Movie Review – Killer Whale (2026)

The Essential Action Movies of 1986

Movie Review – Every Heavy Thing (2025)

Movie Review – The Rip (2026)

Movie Review – 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)

FLICKERING MYTH FILMS

 

FEATURED POSTS:

The Most Iconic Cult Classics of All Time

Ten Great Love Letters to Cinema

10 Horror Movies Ripe for a Modern Remake

10 Great Horror Movies That Avoid the Director Sophomore Slump

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV on YouTube
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Bluesky
    • Linktree
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles and Opinions
  • The Baby in the Basket
  • Death Among the Pines
  • About Flickering Myth
  • Write for Flickering Myth