2018 marks a new beginning for Sony Animation Studios. Known for films like Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and Angry Birds, they want to be a true filmmaker-driven studio. So they will start their new vision with Hotel Transylvania 3, which hits theaters July 13 with Genndy Tartakovsky back at the helm. The director said he was inspired to make the threequel thanks in part to a family vacation on a cruise. Once he pitched the idea to the original cast, they were in.
And just like any new sequel, you have to introduce new characters and additional cast members to join the family. This time Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, David Spade, Chrissy Teagan and Joe Jonas are in for a hauntingly good time on the high seas. But no family vacation is perfect, and when old enemies encounter each other on the ship, things start to get heated.
We received a sneak preview of the film. Clips included a preview of Drac’s history with Abraham Van Helsing (Gaffigan) where it sets up the immortal fight between him and the Van Helsing. Also, there is plenty of world building in this film, as new destinations are introduced. In another clip, we see Mavis deciding to take Drac on a cruise with the whole family, a glimpse of the cruise and their arrival at Atlantis with Joe Jonas’ musical number.
One thing the cast is excited to see about is the growth they have had since they’ve started the franchise. Selena Gomez, who voices Mavis, says watching her character “have a kid, it’s nice to give Drac a break” this time around. For Andy Samberg, who voices Johnny, it was nice to see him use his DJ skills. But he had a lot of fun collaborating on new things for the character to do.
Newcomers to the franchise include Kathryn Hahn, who voices Erika Van Helsing. During the early preview, she said she was excited to show a character that starts wanting to kill Drac but ends up seeing him as a family man. Keegan Michael Key says his voice for the Mummy is inspired by southern foods and likes lots of grease.
“With a cartoon, you just close your eyes because you can do all the crazy stuff in a both” Keegan Michael Key on getting in the monster voicing zone.
“I was so excited that they can finally see something Mommy is doing. My body of work is not for them. These movies and are charming and I got to act with Genndy” Hahn on joining the franchise.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
In Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, join our favorite monster family as they embark on a vacation on a luxury monster cruise ship so Drac can take a summer vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. It’s smooth sailing for Drac’s Pack as the monsters indulge in all of the shipboard fun the cruise has to offer, from monster volleyball to exotic excursions, and catching up on their moon tans. But the dream vacation turns into a nightmare when Mavis realizes Drac has fallen for the mysterious captain of the ship, Ericka, who hides a dangerous secret that could destroy all of monsterkind.
Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, who uses a script written by him and Michael McCullers, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation opens in theaters on the very appropriate Friday, July 13, 2018.
