Theatrical movies have been doing better of late. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the first movie of the pandemic to gross more than $200 million in the United States, and just last weekend Venom: Let There Be Carnage exceeded experts’ expectations and broke a record for the biggest opening weekend since the spring of last year.

Still, studios aren’t entirely confident in theaters, and more movies continue to get pushed back to next year or skip multiplexes entirely. The latest is Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, the fourth film in the animated series about a group of comedic monsters including Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man. Originally planned for theatrical release by Sony, the picture will now debut instead early next year on Amazon’s Prime Video service.

Thus far, the Hotel Transylvania franchise has grossed an unbelievable $1.3 billion worldwide. Amazon will have the exclusive rights to the new movie everywhere but China. Here’s the most recent trailer for the film:

One big difference with this Hotel Transylvania that could have played a role in Sony’s decision to sell it: Two of the key stars of the previous three films, Adam Sandler (as Dracula) and Kevin James (as Frankenstein), did not return for this one. Here is the film’s official synopsis:

Drac and the Pack are back, like you’ve never seen them before in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac (Brian Hull) with his most terrifying task yet. Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny (Andy Samberg) becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis (Selena Gomez) and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania premieres on Amazon Prime on January 14, 2022.

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