The Munsters, Rob Zombie's much-awaited reboot of the '60s hit TV show The Munsters, will introduce several new characters. Zombie, as a self-professed superfan of The Munsters series, has stated that he's been chasing this project for more than 20 years. There are new characters, old characters, revived one-episode characters, and even two characters from the original that have been recast in the movie. Zombie's attention to detail in recreating even the smallest of things is evidence that The Munsters movie is a love letter to the old show.
The titular couple in both the series and The Munsters movie reboot are Herman and Lily Munster. As odd disciples of American suburbia, they looked weird to the normal, but to themselves, they were the normal ones. Rob Zombie has preserved, and even improved, the look of both Herman and Lily. In The Munsters trailers, their clothing appears to be of better quality than that on the TV show. Grandpa, a.k.a. The Count, sports a new handlebar mustache and impressive muttonchops. The three main characters are easily recognizable.
However, a few other characters will certainly be unfamiliar to viewers. The Munsters is in a feature movie format, as opposed to the TV sitcom of the 1960s, so Zombie has a little more creative freedom. Adding five new characters in a half-hour show could get crowded and confusing. Dr. Henry August Wolfgang, a.k.a. "Transylvania's most popular mad scientist," and his hunchback assistant, Floop, are two new characters straight out of the mind of Rob Zombie. There is also Zoya Krupp, a mysterious, eccentric-looking woman, and Barbara Carr, the number one real estate agent in all of Mockingbird Heights. Lily's former beau, Orlock, a dead-ringer for Max Schreck, will also feature, adding a love-triangle dynamic. Any changes he made to casting are to pay homage to the original, with Zombie honoring the characters of the past while adding his own to the mythology.
Which Original Munsters Characters Are Missing From Rob Zombie's Reboot
In a divisive move by Rob Zombie, he's cutting a few classic characters, but bringing back three one-episode characters from the television show. Lester the Werewolf, Lily Munster's brother, appears, as does Uncle Gilbert, who bore a striking resemblance to the Creature from the Black Lagoon in The Munsters TV show. Zombo, Eddie Munster's favorite TV personality (until he was disappointed to discover that Zombo was only a mere man in make up, wig, and false teeth) will also make a return.
However, Eddie Munster himself will not appear, which is odd. As the reboot is a prequel, the actors for Eddie and Marilyn Munster have aged out of their original roles, so Zombie recast them in different roles. Pat Priest, who played Marilyn Munster, is recast as a Transylvania Airlines announcer, and Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster, will appear as the Tin Can Man. Another interesting twist is Rob Zombie transforming Igor, who was Grandpa Munster's pet bat in the original TV show, into the Munsters' family loyal servant.
The movie looks to be a Zombie-esque reimagining of the original The Munsters TV series, minus the gore that Zombie is best known for. An over-saturated palette and Zombie's love of the off-center perspective shot make the movie appear more stylized than the original TV series. However, his faithfulness to key elements in the show, such as the Munsters' house at 1313 Mockingbird Lane and Herman Munster's fist-pounding laugh, preserve the spirit of the television series. The additional characters in The Munsters movie are nothing more than a tribute to an act of love for the original.