# The Munsters (2022 film)
**The Munsters** is a 2022 American comedy film written and directed by [Rob Zombie](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-zombie) that retells the origin story of the monster family from the 1960s television sitcom *The Munsters*, following the courtship of the vampire Lily and the reanimated [Herman Munster](https://www.edgepedia.org/herman-munster).[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) It was produced by Universal 1440 [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment), a production arm of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and released on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 27, 2022, with a Netflix release the same date.[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) • [2](https://www.robzombie.com/films/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Rob Zombie, known for *House of 1000 Corpses*, *The Devil's Rejects*, and *3 From Hell*[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) |
| Premise | Origin story of Lily and Herman's courtship, opposed by Lily's father, The Count[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) |
| Lead cast | Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily, Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster, Daniel Roebuck as The Count[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) |
| Supporting cast | Richard Brake, Jorge Garcia, Sylvester McCoy, Catherine Schell, Cassandra Peterson, and Tomas Boykin, with guest appearances by original series cast members Butch Patrick and Pat Priest[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) |
| Release | Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 27, 2022; on Netflix the same date[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) • [2](https://www.robzombie.com/films/) |
| Run time and rating | 1 hr 50 min; rated PG for macabre and suggestive material, scary images, and language[3](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/movies/the-munsters-2022) |
| Home edition | Collector's Edition with over 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage and a feature commentary by Rob Zombie[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
The film is a prequel to the 1964 sitcom, set before the family's life in the American suburbs. Lily is described as a 150-year-old, lovelorn vampire looking for the man of her nightmares until she meets Herman, a seven-foot-tall, green experiment with a heart of gold. Her father, The Count, has other plans for his daughter's future that do not involve her bumbling beau, and the story follows the couple from [Transylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/transylvania) to the American suburbs and Hollywood as they make their way to Mockingbird Lane.[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) • [4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-munsters)
Phillips described his character as newly created by Dr. Wolfgang, with a brain from somebody else, and said he played Herman as not quite comfortable in his body, with a cracking voice, still feeling out who he is.[5](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2023-01-07-interview-with-jeff-daniel-phillips-about-the-munsters-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode) Because the story ends where the sitcom begins, the film leaves the couple's later family life, including their son Eddie and Cousin Marilyn, outside its plot.[6](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/netflixs-the-munsters-review-rob-zombies-latest-is-a-campy-departure-from-the-norm/1900-6417969/)
## Production
The project was set up at Universal's 1440 Productions, a division of [Universal Pictures Home Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/universal-pictures-home-entertainment), when Zombie announced he would direct a take on the sitcom.[7](https://www.thewrap.com/rob-zombie-munsters-movie/) Zombie's interest in the property long predates the film: his dream of directing *The Munsters* predates the release of his debut feature, *House of 1000 Corpses* (2003), and echoes of the series run through his records, videos, and films, including his hit single "Dragula."[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/rob-zombie-says-wasn-t-180123499.html) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/1062262/the-munsters-netflix-rob-zombie/)
**Studio constraints shaped the look.** Zombie wanted to shoot in black-and-white, but Universal did not want a black-and-white film, so that was not an option; he instead made the film as hyper-surreal as possible, showcasing a stylized look and vibrant color palette.[5](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2023-01-07-interview-with-jeff-daniel-phillips-about-the-munsters-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode) • [8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/rob-zombie-says-wasn-t-180123499.html) • [1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) Production was delayed by COVID before filming began.[10](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/munsters-daniel-roebuck-grandpa-rob-zombie-dracula-interview) Because the film was produced by Universal's home video department, a theatrical release was not part of the plan.[11](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/the-munsters-interview-jeff-daniel-phillips-on-working-with-rob-zombie/)
Phillips and Roebuck were longtime fans of the series, and Phillips described Zombie and Roebuck as Munster historians who knew every writer on every episode; the cast had time to rehearse before shooting.[5](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2023-01-07-interview-with-jeff-daniel-phillips-about-the-munsters-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode) Original series cast members [Butch Patrick](https://www.edgepedia.org/butch-patrick) (Eddie Munster) and [Pat Priest](https://www.edgepedia.org/pat-priest-actress) (Marilyn) made guest appearances.[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) • [12](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-munsters-film-review-2022)
## Release
The film was released on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 27, 2022, and became available on Netflix the same date per Zombie's official site.[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) • [2](https://www.robzombie.com/films/) [The Collector](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-collector)'s Edition includes over an hour of exclusive content, including unseen behind-the-scenes footage with Zombie and the cast and a feature commentary with Zombie.[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release) Film Stories noted it was a rare modern release to feature an extensive making-of documentary and director commentary.[11](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/the-munsters-interview-jeff-daniel-phillips-on-working-with-rob-zombie/) As of later listings, the film can be bought or rented on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home, with no free streaming options.[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-munsters)
## Reception
Critical response was mixed. Aggregated ratings reported by [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) put the film at 48% from its own users, 4.5 out of 10 on IMDb, and 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-munsters) Reviewers divided over the film's fidelity to the sitcom's tone. The GameSpot review argued that instead of updating *The Munsters*, Zombie fell back on what made the original series work when it debuted in 1964, calling it a campy departure from his usual work.[6](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/netflixs-the-munsters-review-rob-zombies-latest-is-a-campy-departure-from-the-norm/1900-6417969/) Common Sense Media highlighted Phillips's Herman as hilarious, delivering the cadences and stylings of the original actor [Fred Gwynne](https://www.edgepedia.org/fred-gwynne).[13](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-munsters-2022) A review at RogerEbert.com described the film as playing the couple's story like an old-fashioned romance and noted small turns from Pat Priest and Butch Patrick.[12](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-munsters-film-review-2022) On Metacritic, Scout Tafoya called it possibly the most authentic-feeling television revival ever put on film, as a love letter to the sitcom that inspired Zombie as a child.[14](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-munsters/critic-reviews/)
The film marked an unusual turn in Zombie's filmography, which had previously consisted of hard-edged horror such as *House of 1000 Corpses*, *The Devil's Rejects*, and *3 From Hell*; the press materials position it as a comedy about the courtship intended to surprise and delight fans of all ages.[1](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release)
## References
1. [The Munsters (2022) Press Release, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/press-release/the-munsters-2022-press-release)
2. [Films, The Official Rob Zombie Website](https://www.robzombie.com/films/)
3. [The Munsters (2022), Universal Pictures At Home](https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/movies/the-munsters-2022)
4. [The Munsters streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-munsters)
5. [The man behind the monster: Jeff Daniel Phillips on working with Rob Zombie to recreate The Munsters, Eye For Film](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2023-01-07-interview-with-jeff-daniel-phillips-about-the-munsters-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode)
6. [Netflix's The Munsters Review, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/netflixs-the-munsters-review-rob-zombies-latest-is-a-campy-departure-from-the-norm/1900-6417969/)
7. [Rob Zombie to Direct 'The Munsters' Movie Based on '60s Sitcom, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/rob-zombie-munsters-movie/)
8. [Rob Zombie Says He Wasn't Allowed to Shoot 'The Munsters' in Black-and-White, Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/rob-zombie-says-wasn-t-180123499.html)
9. ['The Munsters': Rob Zombie on Giving Fans the Prequel They've Been Waiting For, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1062262/the-munsters-netflix-rob-zombie/)
10. [The Munsters' Daniel Roebuck suits up as Grandpa in Rob Zombie's remake, SYFY Wire](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/munsters-daniel-roebuck-grandpa-rob-zombie-dracula-interview)
11. [The Munsters interview: Jeff Daniel Phillips on working with Rob Zombie, Film Stories](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/the-munsters-interview-jeff-daniel-phillips-on-working-with-rob-zombie/)
12. [The Munsters movie review & film summary, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-munsters-film-review-2022)
13. [Parents' Guide to The Munsters (2022), Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-munsters-2022)
14. [The Munsters critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-munsters/critic-reviews/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Horror films (individual works) › Comedy horror films › 2020s comedy horror films*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license