Awesome Monsters

Jon Laymon has been obsessed with Alien since he was a kid. With building movie props in his blood, he crafted this impressive full-size version of H. R. Giger’s terrifying Xenomorph. After welding together a metal structure, he covered it with spray foam, carved its rough form, and coated it with epoxy and fiberglass before sculpting and painting its details.

Artist Oleksandr Hrytsai shows how he made a wood mask based on the berserker from Predators. He created the mask by cutting layers of oak and linden wood, stacking them to form a 3D structure, then painstakingly sanding and carving its curves. After attaching its toothy lower jaw, he added the finishing touch of the creature’s spiky-tipped dreadlocks.

Before The Bride! arrives, we get the monster’s story. Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic with Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz. Frankenstein follows an arrogant scientist whose reckless experiment creates a tragic creature, sealing the downfall of both creator and creation. On Netflix 11.7.2025.

Add some monstrous mischief to your Halloween celebrations with this freak-filled deck of playing cards from illustrator Chet Phillips. The 54-card poker deck features spooky-yet-silly monster portraits on every card, and batty backs with a smattering of skulls. The smooth-shuffling cards have a plastic coating and come packed in a terrifying tuck box.

Mr Jones Watches is bringing back its playful Monster Melter 3000, now a permanent part of the brand’s playful wristwatch lineup. Designed by British artist Onorio D’Epiro, the watch depicts an astronaut locked in an endless battle with a neon tentacle beast. With fluorescent inks and glittering airbrush effects, it’s a wearable work of sci-fi art.

Maggie Gyllenhaal directed this revamp of The Bride of Frankenstein. Set in 1930s Chicago, the story follows the monster’s quest for companionship, leading to the creation of a bride in a tale of love, murder, possession, and cultural upheaval. Stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz. In theaters 3.4.26.

Go inside the workshop at Distortions Unlimited for a look at how they create their giant animatronic creatures. The Colossus and Sleeping Giant stand nearly 12 feet tall once activated. Each giant is made by casting a latex skin and attaching it to a metal armature by filling a mold with foam. After that, they trim the casting, paint on details, and add hair and clothing.

As only he can, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) as a brilliant but arrogant scientist obsessed with a monstrous experiment to bring a creature to life. In del Toro’s hands, it’s a horror film, a tragedy, and a cautionary tale for egomaniacs with God complexes. Coming to Netflix 11.25.

Any day is a good day to enjoy a bowl of Count Chocula or Franken Berry cereal. It’s part of a complete breakfast! Dan Larson of Toy Galaxy looks at the strange and sometimes controversial history of General Mills’ spooky and sugary Monster Cereals, including the elusive Yummy Mummy. Since this video was released, Carmella Creeper was added to the mix.

Concord Aerospace expands its line of space-inspired goodies with a collection of coasters featuring images of wacky monsters and aliens. The colorful ceramic coasters have magnets on the back to keep them neatly stacked and felt pads to protect surfaces. Buy four or more Monstronauts coasters for a discount. They’re great for geeky or ghoulish get-togethers!

Process X introduces us to artist Hiroyuki Yamamoto, a master craftsman who makes traditional Japanese masks. Each mask starts as a solid block of wood, which he carves away with a saw, chisel, and other hand tools. He then creates eyes out of copper, applies gold leaf, and paints the mask in vibrant colors to bring his characters to life.

Did you know that every state in America has at least one mythical creature that supposedly lives within its borders? Trust Me Bro compiled this fun video explainer about some of the nation’s legendary monsters and weird things, like the Michigan Dogman, Pennsylvania’s Squonk, and West Virginia’s Mothman. They’re not all Sasquatch or Chupacabra variants.

North of the Border imagines what would happen if Garfield the Cat was infected with the shape-shifting organism that took over in John Carpenter’s The Thing. The mutated feline has loads of pointy teeth, dozens of tiny tentacles, and four gangly arms ready to grab lasagna and toss it into its horrifying mouth-stomach.

Imagine what it might be like if a bunch of monsters came to town and started stomping around. MetaBall Studios takes to the streets with their latest size comparison video, giving us a sense of scale as various fictional monsters invade Earth and wreak havoc on the place. Once they start getting 30 feet tall or more, they can’t help but destroy the place.

Don’t have it in the budget to buy NECA’s life-size Aliens Xenomorph Egg? Good news! The collectible toymaker has decided to release its foam facehugger separately for a much more wallet-friendly price. The creature measures roughly 3.5 feet long and has a poseable tail. Makes a great cosplay accessory. Pre-orders start shipping 7.2024.

Bring your 7-inch scale action figures to life with this awesome accessory from NECA Studios. Based on a 1980s toy called the Monsterizer, this mini laboratory table features a moving platform, a hinged cage, and illuminated electrical insulators and dials. It’s the perfect add-on for NECA’s Universal Monsters figures. Pre-orders start shipping 3.1.2024.