Frankenstein Movies: Release Order

1931 - 201524 Films35h 53m3.4 Average

The Frankenstein film series spans nearly a century of cinematic adaptations, from Universal's genre-defining 1931 classic to modern reimaginings. This watch order includes the connected Universal monster films of the 1930s-40s, Hammer's gothic horror series of the 1950s-70s, and standalone modern adaptations. Early silent films featuring the monster are not included.

The series encompasses multiple timelines and approaches: Universal's films follow the Monster's continuing story through sequels and crossovers, while Hammer focuses on Baron Frankenstein himself across different experiments. Modern films like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Victor Frankenstein offer fresh takes on the source material, alongside comedic interpretations like Young Frankenstein.

There are 3 other watch orders available – see the links up above.

1
Frankenstein poster

Frankenstein

19311h 10m4.4
Director: James Whale
Cast: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan

Mad scientist Henry Frankenstein attempts to create life by assembling body parts, but his monstrous creation becomes violently destructive in a world that rejects him.

DramaHorrorScience Fiction
2
Bride of Frankenstein poster

Bride of Frankenstein

19351h 15m4.4
Director: James Whale
Cast: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesiger, Elsa Lanchester

Dr. Frankenstein is forced out of retirement when the mad Dr. Pretorius kidnaps his wife and demands help creating a mate for Frankenstein's still-living monster.

HorrorScience Fiction
3
Son of Frankenstein poster

Son of Frankenstein

19391h 39m3.8
Director: Rowland V. Lee
Cast: Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Josephine Hutchinson

The son of Dr. Frankenstein discovers his father's monster in a comatose state and brings it back to life, unaware that the creature is now under the influence of the vengeful Ygor.

HorrorScience Fiction
4
The Ghost of Frankenstein poster

The Ghost of Frankenstein

19421h 8m3.1
Director: Erle C. Kenton
Cast: Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers

When Dr. Bohmer attempts to transplant Ygor's brain into Frankenstein's monster, his scheme to control the creature backfires spectacularly. The malevolent monster breaks free and embarks on a destructive rampage.

HorrorScience Fiction
5
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man poster

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man

19431h 14m3.4
Director: Roy William Neill
Cast: Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Patric Knowles, Ilona Massey, Maria Ouspenskaya

When grave robbers awaken the Wolf Man, he seeks out Dr. Frankenstein hoping to find a cure for his lycanthropic curse. Instead, he discovers that the doctor has died, but his famous monster still lurks in the shadows.

HorrorScience Fiction
6
House of Frankenstein poster

House of Frankenstein

19441h 11m3.2
Director: Erle C. Kenton
Cast: Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish, John Carradine, Anne Gwynne

A mad scientist escapes from prison and takes over a traveling horror show, using it as a cover to revive classic monsters including Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Wolf Man.

HorrorScience Fiction
7
House of Dracula poster

House of Dracula

19451h 4m2.8
Director: Erle C. Kenton
Cast: John Carradine, Onslow Stevens, Lon Chaney Jr., Martha O'Driscoll, Jane Adams

A dedicated scientist seeks to cure the supernatural afflictions of both the Wolf Man and Count Dracula, but his noble efforts lead to unexpected and dangerous consequences. This classic Universal monster film brings together multiple iconic creatures in a tale of science versus the supernatural.

HorrorScience Fiction
8
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein poster

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein

19481h 23m4.1
Director: Charles Barton
Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange

Bumbling baggage handlers Bud Abbott and Lou Costello find themselves in a hilarious horror adventure when they accidentally encounter classic movie monsters including Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula, and the Wolf Man.

HorrorComedy
9
The Curse of Frankenstein poster

The Curse of Frankenstein

19571h 23m3.9
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart, Christopher Lee, Melvyn Hayes

Baron Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of life and creates a monstrous creature, unleashing a terrifying chain of deadly events in this classic horror tale.

HorrorScience Fiction
10
Frankenstein 1970 poster

Frankenstein 1970

19581h 23m2.7
Director: Howard W. Koch
Cast: Boris Karloff, Jana Lund, Don 'Red' Barry, Charlotte Austin, Rudolph Anders

A descendant of the infamous Baron Frankenstein rents out the family castle to a television crew, using the money to fund his own twisted experiments in atomic-powered monster revival.

HorrorScience Fiction
11
The Revenge of Frankenstein poster

The Revenge of Frankenstein

19581h 30m3.7
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Peter Cushing, Francis Matthews, Eunice Gayson, Michael Gwynn, John Welsh

Baron Frankenstein escapes execution and relocates to a new town where he resumes his dangerous scientific experiments with the help of his loyal assistant.

HorrorScience Fiction
12
The Evil of Frankenstein poster

The Evil of Frankenstein

19641h 27m3.3
Director: Freddie Francis
Cast: Peter Cushing, Peter Woodthorpe, Duncan Lamont, Sandor Elès, Katy Wild

Baron Frankenstein returns to his former home and discovers his preserved creature in the mountains, bringing it back to life with the help of a hypnotist named Zoltan. However, Zoltan seizes control of the monster and uses it for his own murderous purposes, forcing Frankenstein to battle for control of his creation.

HorrorScience Fiction
13
Frankenstein Created Woman poster

Frankenstein Created Woman

19671h 32m3.6
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters, Robert Morris, Duncan Lamont

Baron Frankenstein experiments with transferring souls when he places a wrongly executed man's spirit into the body of his deceased lover. The resurrected woman seeks violent revenge against those responsible for their tragic deaths.

HorrorScience Fiction
14
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed poster

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

19691h 41m3.5
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Peter Cushing, Veronica Carlson, Freddie Jones, Simon Ward, Thorley Walters

Baron Frankenstein blackmails a young couple to help him with his twisted experiments, transplanting a man's brain into a corpse. The resulting creature, tormented by his unnatural existence, seeks revenge against his creator.

HorrorScience Fiction
15
The Horror of Frankenstein poster

The Horror of Frankenstein

19701h 35m3.1
Director: Jimmy Sangster
Cast: Ralph Bates, Kate O'Mara, Veronica Carlson, Jon Finch, Dennis Price

Young Victor Frankenstein returns from medical school and begins conducting twisted scientific experiments driven by his dark obsessions.

HorrorScience Fiction
16
Lady Frankenstein poster

Lady Frankenstein

19711h 39m2.8
Original Title: La figlia di Frankenstein
Director: Mel Welles
Cast: Joseph Cotten, Rosalba Neri, Paul Müller, Herbert Fux, Renate Kasché

After Dr. Frankenstein's death at the hands of his own creation, his daughter teams up with his lab assistant to carry on his controversial experiments in reanimating the dead.

HorrorScience Fiction
17
Flesh for Frankenstein poster

Flesh for Frankenstein

19731h 35m3.1
Director: Paul Morrissey
Cast: Joe Dallesandro, Udo Kier, Monique van Vooren, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Arno Jürging

Baron Frankenstein and his depraved assistant Otto conduct grotesque experiments in creating new life within the decadent walls of the Frankenstein mansion. As body parts accumulate in the laboratory and the household indulges in various perversions, the estate becomes consumed by a bizarre combination of death, dismemberment, and dark comedy.

Horror
18
Young Frankenstein poster

Young Frankenstein

19741h 46m4.7
Director: Mel Brooks
Cast: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman

A young neurosurgeon inherits his grandfather's castle and discovers the infamous Dr. Frankenstein's reanimation experiments, leading him to reconsider his grandfather's supposedly delusional work.

Comedy
19
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell poster

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

19741h 35m3.4
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith, David Prowse, John Stratton

A young doctor imprisoned in an asylum discovers that the institution's director is the infamous Baron Frankenstein, who recruits him to help create a new creature from the organs of fellow inmates.

HorrorScience Fiction
20
The Bride poster

The Bride

19851h 54m2.6
Director: Franc Roddam
Cast: Sting, Jennifer Beals, Anthony Higgins, Clancy Brown, David Rappaport

Doctor Frankenstein creates a female companion for his monster, but when she rejects her intended mate, the doctor becomes obsessed with transforming her into his ideal Victorian woman.

DramaHorrorRomanceScience Fiction
21
Frankenstein Unbound poster

Frankenstein Unbound

19901h 25m3
Director: Roger Corman
Cast: John Hurt, Raúl Juliá, Nick Brimble, Bridget Fonda, Jason Patric

A scientist from 2031 is accidentally transported back to 1817 Switzerland due to a time experiment gone wrong, where he encounters the real Dr. Victor Frankenstein and Mary Shelley. This sci-fi horror film blends time travel with classic monster mythology as past and future collide.

HorrorScience Fiction
22
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein poster

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

19942h 3m3.6
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn

A brilliant young doctor becomes obsessed with conquering death after losing his mother, leading him to create a living being from corpse parts. His scientific triumph quickly becomes his greatest regret as the consequences of playing God unfold.

DramaHorrorScience FictionRomance
23
I, Frankenstein poster

I, Frankenstein

20141h 32m2.7
Director: Stuart Beattie
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski, Bill Nighy, Jai Courtney, Miranda Otto

Two centuries after his creation, Dr. Frankenstein's creature Adam finds himself caught in an ancient war between supernatural forces, with humanity's fate hanging in the balance.

HorrorThriller
24
Victor Frankenstein poster

Victor Frankenstein

20151h 49m3.2
Director: Paul McGuigan
Cast: James McAvoy, Daniel Radcliffe, Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Freddie Fox

A brilliant but eccentric scientist becomes obsessed with creating life, leading to a dangerous experiment that produces a monstrous creature with devastating consequences.

DramaScience FictionThriller