Back in 1931, Universal Pictures revolutionized the idea of what a horror movie could be with the introduction of what would become the iconic lineup of Universal Monsters, based on classic horror novels. It began with 1931's Dracula, with the original run of movies lasting until 1956's The Creature Walks Among Us. In that time, we got now-legendary films about the likes of Frankenstein's Monster, the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man, and so many more. Since that franchise officially ended, several of the characters have been revisited over the years, scaring new generations of moviegoers. With new versions of the characters often come radically different character designs.

Practically every Universal monster's look has evolved over the years. And while some have kept hallmarks of the original take on the character, others have redesigned the character to a point where it doesn't resemble the original at all. Take the Mummy, for instance. There are two contemporary versions to be addressed, neither of which look anything like the original. You'll see what we mean below.

Looking back over the history of the Universal Monsters, we couldn't help comparing their original looks with the versions from more popular contemporary films. For instance, while there have certainly been a number of vampire and Dracula films, none of them have come close to capturing the public's imagination like Bram Stoker's Dracula. That film might have been released in 1992, but nothing since then has surpassed it.

Take a look below at how the most famous (infamous) Universal Monsters looked when they made their big-screen debuts, as well as the more modern takes. Then sound off in the comments with your favorite movie based on one of the Universal Monsters.

Dracula

Appeared in: 1931's Dracula

Portrayed by: Bela Lugosi

Dracula

Appeared in: 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula

Played by: Gary Oldman

Frankenstein's Monster

Appeared in: 1931's Frankenstein

Played by: Boris Karloff

Frankenstein's Monster

Appeared in: 1994's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Played by: Robert De Niro

The Invisible Man

Appeared in: 1933's The Invisible Man

Played by: Clause Rains

The Invisible Man

Appeared in: 2020's The Invisible Man

Played by: Oliver Jackson-Cohen

The Mummy

Appeared in: 1932's The Mummy

Played by: Boris Karloff

The Mummy

Appeared in: 1999's The Mummy

Played by: Arnold Vosloo

The Mummy

Appeared in: 2017's The Mummy

Played by: Sofia Boutella

The Wolf Man

Appeared in: 1941's The Wolf Man

Played by: Lon Chaney, Jr.

The Wolf Man

Appeared in: 2010's The Wolfman

Played by: Benicio del Toro