Frankenstein (1931 film) 12, 1931, "Dracula" starring Bela Lugosi had sold 50,000 tickets, building a momentum that culminated in a $700,000 profit, the largest of Universal's 1931 releases. As a result, the head of production, Carl Laemmle Jr., announced immediate plans for more horror films. Immediately, following his success in "Dracula", Bela Lugosi had hoped to play Dr. Frankenstein in Universal's original film concept. However, the actor was expected by producer Carl Laemmle Jr. to play the monster (a common move for a contract player in a film studio at the time) to keep his famous name on the bill. After several disastrous
Dracula in popular culture film would have predated the lost 1921 Hungarian film "Dracula's Death", and is thus claimed to be the first film adaption of "Dracula". Nothing regarding this film is known to survive; there are no known production stills, and there is very little information about this film available. Most sources agree that the existence of this film is questionable because no details appear to have survived, and its existence is not verifiable. One of the first film adaptations of Stoker's story caused Stoker's estate to sue for copyright infringement. In 1922, silent film director F. W. Murnau made a horror film