Last Updated on July 31, 2026 by Daniel Globe
The Hotel Transylvania franchise mixes classic monsters with fast comedy, family conflict, and stories about accepting people who seem different. The main feature-film series follows Count Dracula, his daughter Mavis, the human traveler Johnny, and the growing group of humans and monsters connected to their unusual resort.
The original film’s story is credited to Todd Durham, Daniel Hageman, and Kevin Hageman, while Genndy Tartakovsky directed the first three movies and established much of the franchise’s energetic visual style. Sony Pictures Animation produced the films, beginning with the original theatrical release in 2012.
Quick Answer
There are four released Hotel Transylvania feature films. Watch them in release order: Hotel Transylvania (2012), Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018), and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022). A fifth movie is scheduled for October 8, 2027.
Key Takeaways
- Four feature films have been released, and release order is also the easiest story order to follow.
- Genndy Tartakovsky directed the first three movies; Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska directed the fourth.
- Brian Hull replaced Adam Sandler as Dracula’s voice in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.
- The franchise also includes three official shorts, a 2017 television series, and the upcoming Motel Transylvania series.
- The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania, the fifth feature film, is scheduled to reach theaters on October 8, 2027.
Hotel Transylvania Movies in Release Order
- Hotel Transylvania — September 28, 2012
- Hotel Transylvania 2 — September 25, 2015
- Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation — July 13, 2018
- Hotel Transylvania: Transformania — January 14, 2022
- The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania — scheduled for October 8, 2027
Note: Release order is also the recommended viewing order. Each sequel builds on relationships and family changes introduced in the previous film, so there is no separate prequel or alternate timeline to follow within the four released features.
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
The first Hotel Transylvania introduces Count Dracula, voiced by Adam Sandler, as the owner of a secluded five-stake resort where monsters can relax without worrying about humans. Dracula is also an anxious single father who has spent years protecting his daughter, Mavis, voiced by Selena Gomez.
Mavis wants to leave the hotel and experience the human world after turning 118. Dracula tries to convince her that humans remain dangerous, but his plans fall apart when a young backpacker named Jonathan, or Johnny, accidentally discovers the resort. Andy Samberg voices Johnny, whose easygoing personality quickly challenges Dracula’s assumptions.
The central conflict is not simply monsters against humans. It is also about a parent learning that protecting a child cannot mean controlling every choice. Johnny’s arrival forces Dracula and the hotel’s guests to reconsider the fears and traditions that have kept them isolated.
The original film was directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. The American Film Institute catalog credits Todd Durham, Daniel Hageman, and Kevin Hageman with the story, and Peter Baynham and Robert Smigel with the screenplay.
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
Hotel Transylvania 2 moves the story forward by focusing on Mavis and Johnny’s young son, Dennis. Dracula worries that his half-human, half-vampire grandson is not developing vampire abilities, so he recruits Frank, Murray, Wayne, and Griffin for a secret “monster-in-training” program.
The sequel expands the original film’s theme of acceptance. Dracula supported Mavis’s relationship with Johnny, but he still struggles when Dennis does not match his idea of what a vampire grandchild should be. His attempts to force Dennis to change create much of the film’s comedy and emotional conflict.
The arrival of Dracula’s father, Vlad, adds another generational divide. Voiced by Mel Brooks, Vlad represents an older and stricter view of vampire tradition. Dracula must decide whether to repeat those beliefs or defend the more open family his daughter has created.
Genndy Tartakovsky returned as director, while Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Mel Brooks, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Fran Drescher, Molly Shannon, and Keegan-Michael Key were among the principal voice cast.
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)
| Release Date | July 13, 2018 |
| Director | Genndy Tartakovsky |
| Runtime | 1 hour 37 minutes |
| Worldwide Box Office | Approximately $528.6 million |
| IMDb Rating | 6.3/10 as checked July 30, 2026 |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 63% Tomatometer as checked July 30, 2026 |
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation takes Dracula and the other monsters away from the hotel for a cruise designed especially for monster travelers. Mavis arranges the vacation because she believes her father needs a break from running everyone else’s holidays.
Dracula soon becomes interested in the ship’s human captain, Ericka, voiced by Kathryn Hahn. Their growing relationship seems to continue the franchise’s message about humans and monsters overcoming distrust, but Ericka is secretly connected to the monster-hunting Van Helsing family.
The cruise setting gives the film room for dance sequences, excursions, monster activities, and a larger action finale. It also changes Dracula’s role. Instead of being the parent worried about Mavis’s romantic life, he becomes the family member whose new relationship attracts concern.
The film was the third consecutive installment directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. It also became the highest-grossing theatrical feature in the original four-film series, earning approximately $528.6 million worldwide.
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022)
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is the fourth released feature. Van Helsing’s Monsterfication Ray malfunctions, turning Dracula and several monster friends into humans while changing Johnny into a monster. The group must find a way to reverse the transformations before they become permanent.
The body-switching idea allows the characters to experience the traits they previously associated with the other side. Dracula loses his powers and physical confidence, while Johnny initially enjoys the freedom and strength of being a monster. Their trip to find a cure becomes a test of their difficult father-in-law and son-in-law relationship.
Brian Hull voices Dracula in this installment instead of Adam Sandler. Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez return as Johnny and Mavis, with Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Keegan-Michael Key, Fran Drescher, and Asher Blinkoff also in the cast.
Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska directed the film. Genndy Tartakovsky received story, screenplay, and executive-producer credits. The film premiered through Prime Video on January 14, 2022 and is also available through several digital purchase and rental services listed by Sony Pictures Animation.
Note: Streaming subscriptions and digital catalogs vary by country and can change. Check the official Sony page or your local streaming service before planning a movie marathon.
Main Characters and Voice Cast Changes
- Count Dracula: The hotel owner and Mavis’s protective father. Adam Sandler voices him in the first three films, and Brian Hull voices him in Transformania.
- Mavis: Dracula’s daughter, voiced by Selena Gomez throughout the four released feature films.
- Jonathan “Johnny” Loughran: The human traveler who falls in love with Mavis, voiced by Andy Samberg.
- Dennis: Mavis and Johnny’s half-human, half-vampire son, voiced by Asher Blinkoff.
- Ericka Van Helsing: The cruise captain introduced in the third film, voiced by Kathryn Hahn.
- Van Helsing: A monster hunter and inventor voiced by Jim Gaffigan in the third and fourth films.
- The Drac Pack: Dracula’s close monster friends include Frank, Wayne, Murray, Griffin, Eunice, and Wanda.
Spin-Offs, Shorts, and TV Series
Hotel Transylvania: The Series
Hotel Transylvania: The Series premiered in 2017 as a television prequel. It follows a younger Mavis and her friends Hank N Stein, Pedro, and Wendy Blob while Dracula is away on official vampire business.
Aunt Lydia tries to enforce strict hotel traditions while Mavis experiments with her own ideas about running the property. The series uses a different animation style and voice cast from the feature films, but it keeps the focus on Mavis’s independence and the hotel’s unusual guests.
Official Hotel Transylvania Shorts
- Goodnight Mr. Foot (2012): Bigfoot checks into Dracula’s hotel for a quiet stay but receives more attention than he expected from an enthusiastic witch maid.
- Puppy! (2017): Dennis receives Tinkles, an enormous monster puppy whose size and energy cause chaos around the hotel.
- Monster Pets: A Hotel Transylvania Short (2021): Dracula tries to find a suitable companion for Tinkles after the giant puppy demands more playtime.
Motel Transylvania
Motel Transylvania is an upcoming animated series from Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix. Its announced premise sends Dracula and Mavis to the California desert, where they open a resort intended for both monsters and humans.
Sony’s official project page currently describes the series as “Coming Soon to Netflix.” An exact premiere date is not displayed on the official Sony or Netflix title pages as of July 30, 2026.
The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania and the Franchise’s Future
The franchise’s future is no longer limited to rumors or possible spin-offs. Sony Pictures Animation and Amazon MGM Studios announced a fifth feature film in July 2026. Titled The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania, it is scheduled for theatrical release on October 8, 2027.
Jennifer Kluska and Alan Hawkins are directing the film, with Lawrence Jonas producing. Genndy Tartakovsky and Michelle Murdocca are serving as executive producers.
The announced story places Dracula in retirement while Mavis takes responsibility for the hotel. When strange and unexplained events begin frightening the resort’s guests, the Drac Pack investigates the mystery behind the apparent haunting.
Four feature films are available now, and the Drac Pack is scheduled to return to theaters in The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania on October 8, 2027.
The Hotel Transylvania films have lasted because their monster comedy supports a simple emotional idea: fear often grows when families and communities refuse to understand people outside their familiar group. Each installment applies that idea to a different relationship, including Dracula and Mavis, monsters and humans, older and younger generations, and Dracula and Johnny.
The settings and conflicts change, but the franchise remains centered on family. The hotel begins as a place built to keep humans out and gradually becomes a shared home for monsters, humans, and children connected to both worlds.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many Hotel Transylvania movies are there?
Four feature films have been released as of July 30, 2026: Hotel Transylvania, Hotel Transylvania 2, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. A fifth film is scheduled for October 8, 2027.
What order should I watch the Hotel Transylvania movies?
Watch the films in release order: Hotel Transylvania (2012), Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018), and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022). This is also the clearest chronological story order.
Is there going to be a fifth Hotel Transylvania movie?
Yes. The fifth film is titled The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania and is scheduled for theatrical release on October 8, 2027. Jennifer Kluska and Alan Hawkins are directing it.
Why does Dracula sound different in Transformania?
Adam Sandler voiced Dracula in the first three feature films. Brian Hull took over the role for Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Hull had previously voiced Dracula in the short Monster Pets.
Who directed the Hotel Transylvania movies?
Genndy Tartakovsky directed the first three movies. Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska directed Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Jennifer Kluska and Alan Hawkins are directing the announced fifth film.
Is Motel Transylvania another movie?
No. Motel Transylvania is an upcoming animated series for Netflix. It follows Dracula and Mavis as they open a new resort for humans and monsters in the California desert.
Sources
- American Film Institute Catalog: Hotel Transylvania — original release information, runtime, director, screenplay, and story credits.
- Sony Pictures Animation: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania — official plot, directors, writers, producers, and cast.
- Sony Pictures: Hotel Transylvania: The Television Series announcement — official television-series premise and 2017 premiere information.
- Sony Pictures Animation Shorts — official franchise-short listings.
- Sony Pictures Animation: Motel Transylvania — official upcoming-series status and premise.
- Variety: Hotel Transylvania 5 announcement — fifth-film title, release date, directors, producers, distribution, and announced story.