HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA (2021): 4th Film in Animated Series to Skip Theaters

Latest Film in Hotel Transylvania Series Bypassing Theaters

Sony Pictures Animation and Amazon are in negotiations that would enable Hotel Transylvania: Transformania to stream rather than play in movie theaters.

Recent animated films such as The Boss Baby: Family Business have under performed at the box-office. With a current increase in COVID cases, family pictures are an uncertain commodity because younger children (who are these films’ target audience) cannot get vaccinated. Luckily for fans of the Hotel Transylvania franchise, the fourth film in the series will most likely go to streaming where it can reach a much wider audience. It was reported that Sony Pictures Animation and Amazon are close to a $100 million deal for the newest film to stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.

When Hotel Transylvania made it’s debut in 2012, family audiences throughout the world were won over. The resulting two sequels did better than the original at the box-office and all three films earned a very respectable “A-” CinemaScore grade from audiences. Though the fourth film will not be premiering in theaters, it seems likely that negotiations will lead to the film debuting on Amazon. This movie had originally been scheduled to begin playing in movie theaters on October 1st, just in time for Halloween.

Brian Hull and Brad Abrell are taking over voicing duties from Adam Sandler and Kevin James as Dracula and the Frankenstein monster in the new sequel. Most of the remainder of the cast will remain the same with Selena Gomez reprising her role as Mavis that she played in the earlier pictures. Also on board are Andy Samberg, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Kathryn Hahn, Molly Shannon and Fran Drescher plus a few other voice-over talents.

Sony does not have a full-time streaming service but has conducted deals on its recent projects with different streamers, including Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Netflix. Sony’s projects which ended up at Netflix include The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Vivo. Sony previously worked with Amazon on the latest Cinderella project which is set to premiere on September 3rd.

The first three Hotel Transylvania films grossed $148 million, $169 million, and $167 million, respectively, at the domestic box-office. Family audiences look forward to these films and it is with great anticipation that they await the fourth film in the franchise. With COVID numbers rising, the best and safest way to see Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will be at home, most likely on Amazon. Sony will hold on to home entertainment rights to the film, according to sources.

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