Picture: NBC Universal
The Rob Zombie movie The Munsters is headed to Netflix in September 2022 but only in the United States and will not be labeled as a Netflix Original.
Note: This article was first published on July 17th but updated with additional information as it came to light.
The movie will hit Netflix just in time for the Halloween season is a new reboot of The Munsters, which is based TV series that ran in the mid-1960s on CBS. The series focused on a family of friendly monsters who have misadventures, never quite understanding why people react to them so strangely.
The new movie, written and directed by Zombie, is picking up the same story thread with the beloved family of monsters moving from Transylvania to an American suburb.
It’s set to release on Digital, Blu-Ray, and DVD on September 27th, 2022 and will release day and date on Netflix US too.
That means:
The Munsters is coming to Netflix on September 27th, 2022 as per Netflix’s September 2022 release schedule.
Jeff Daniel Phillips is set to star as Herman Munster, Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster, Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa Munster, and Cassandra Peterson as Barbara Carr.
The first trailer debuted on July 13th and it’s fair to say it did so to a mixed reaction.
The announcement of the movie coming to Netflix came via Rob Zombie himself on Instagram, where he posted:
“This fall we are gonna spook-out like it’s 1964! Yep, THE MUNSTERS and THE ADDAMS FAMILY are returning to the boob tube at the same time courtesy of @netflix It’s been 58 years since this clash of the titans first happened. Perfect entertainment for your pumpkin carving party. Check out this wicked fall preview issue of TV Guide for the 64-65 season I found while cleaning. Wacky monster fans unite! ☠️☠️☠️☠️ #themunsters”
Picture: Rob Zombie on Instagram
As Zombie points out, Netflix is set to release Wednesday based on The Addams Family. The two titles are not connected beyond coincidence, however.
As DreadCentral notes, the arrival of both onto Netflix will be similar to 1964 when both original titles were first released, saying, “It seems like The Munsters and the Addams will once again square off on television, just like in 1964. Groovy.”
This has confused some outlets like TeenVogue, as they state Wednesday and The Munsters are intrinsically tied in their articles. This is not the case with Zombie not involved in any form with the Netflix series.
The Munsters will only be on Netflix in the United States
The movie is distributed by Universal 1440 Entertainment, one of Universal Pictures’ content arms. They’re typically known for some of the smaller productions from the studio and often are associated with being “direct-to-DVD,” missing out on a theatrical run.
A representative for NBC Universal told us that Netflix had licensed the film only in the US, that it will be available later this year, and it is not a Netflix Original title.
That means if you’re outside the United States, you’ll likely have to rely on VOD services to get your Munsters fix.
Rob Zombie took to Facebook to clarify the situation and address the budget:
“How the hell did everyone get the idea that The Munsters cost 40 millions dollars? Fuck, I wish I had that kind of budget.
To put a little perspective on it all if you add up the budgets of Halloween 2, The Lords of Salem, 31, 3 From Hell and The Munsters all together it wouldn’t even add up to 30 million.
Also the movie was never going to theaters or Peacock or Paramount. It was always being made for Netflix which is fine since it is the largest of the streaming services. This was done way before I ever got involved in the project. I have no control or say over this type of stuff. This is a Universal deal.But the internet loves to invent rumors which somehow turns to facts so the fans can get all bend out of shape.
None of this actually matters but thought you might like the real story.”
We’ve seen numerous movies from the sibling studio of Universal make their SVOD debuts on Netflix over the years. This includes Dragonheart Vengeance, American Pie Presents Girls’ Rules, and Bobbleheads The Movie.
On the flip side, Netflix is set to receive exclusive global rights to the upcoming 47 Ronin sequel, Blade of 47 Ronin.
Will you be checking out The Munsters on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
