Monster High: Transformania

Monster High: Transformania, is an upcoming 2023 American computer-animated adventure comedy film produced by Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, and Mattel and released by Paramount+ and Peacock.

Originally planned to be released theatrically in the United States on September 30, 2022, Universal and Paramount Pictures Releasing cancelled the film's release plans and sold the film's distribution rights to Paramount+ and Peacock for $100 million, due to rising cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the United States. The film was released exclusively on Paramount+ and Peacock on January 13, 2023. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot
During the celebration of the 225th anniversary of Monster High, Draculaura overhears Frankie Stein's plans to retire and leave the school to Clawd and her. She tells Clawd, who excitedly tells Frankie his plans to renovate the school. Frankie, worried about Clawd ruining the school, lies to him saying that there is a real-estate law which only lets monsters own the school, disappointing Clawd.

Bloodgood decides to help Clawd using a ray that turns people into monsters and vice-versa; after testing it on his guinea pig Gigi, he uses it on Clawd who turns into a human. Frankie, learning about human Clawd, tries to turn him back to normal but accidentally turns himself into a human and breaks the ray. Bloodgood tells Frankie and Clawd that they can still turn themselves back to normal by getting a new crystal which lies in a cave in South America, so Frankie and Clawd set off to do so. Frankie's friends Draculaura, Lagoona, Abbey, Clawdeen, Cleo and Ghoulia end up becoming humans as well as a result of drinking from a fountain that was contaminated by the ray during Frankie chasing Clawd earlier. Draculaura and Operetta confront Principal Bloodgood after learning about Clawd and Frankie's whereabouts in the news, but he warns them about the effects of the ray, as people who become monsters become more hostile later. With this in mind, the rest of the gang head to South America to find Frankie and Clawd.

While traveling through the South American jungle, Frankie and Clawd begin to bond and just as Frankie is about to confess that he lied about the monster real-estate law, the rest of the group finds them. Things turn sour when Frankie admits his deception regarding passing over the hotel to Draculaura and Clawd, prompting an upset Clawd to believe Frankie does not consider him family and runs away. Draculaura goes to find Clawd while Frankie and the rest of the gang go to find the crystal. Draculaura finds Clawd, but the transformation has turned him very volatile; she leads him to the cave where they finally find the crystal. When Draculaura tries to turn Clawd back to wolf, nothing happens. In desperation, Frankie lets himself get captured by Clawd and goes on a remorseful tangent about how wrong he was about Clawd and how he should see the best in him. This brings Clawd back to his senses, and he is returned to normal.

With Frankie and his friends turned back to normal, they return home only to find the school has been destroyed by Heath. After turning Heath back to normal, Frankie bemoans his loss, but soon decides to let Draculaura and Clawd rebuild to their liking. A year later, Draculaura and Clawd make Draculaura see the re-built Monster High.

Voice Cast

 * Hilary Duff as Frankie Stein
 * Debi Derryberry as Draculaura
 * Salli Saffioti as Clawdeen Wolf, Cleo de Nile
 * Larissa Gallagher as Lagoona Blue
 * Audu Paeden as Ghoulia Yelps, Mr. Hackington, Sloman "Slo Mo" Mortavitch, Manny Taur, Rameses de Nile
 * Cristina Milizia as Abbey Bominable
 * Erin Fitzgerald as Spectra Vondergeist, Scarah Screams, Wydowna Spider, Rochelle Goyle, Astranova
 * Ogie Banks as Clawd Wolf
 * Paloma Rodriguez as Toralei Stripe
 * Cindy Robinson as Meowlody, Purrsephone, Jackson Jekyll, Holt Hyde, Gory Fangtell
 * Evan Smith as Gillington "Gil" Webber, Deuce Gorgon, Johnny Spirit
 * Julie Maddalena as Robecca Steam
 * Stephanie Sheh as Jinafire Long
 * Karen Strassman as Catty Noir
 * Ira Singerman as Eyera
 * Cam Clarke as Heath Burns, Hoodude Voodoo, Mr. Rotter
 * Cassandra Lee Morris as Venus McFlytrap
 * Paula Rhodes as Iris Clops, Sirena Von Boo
 * Josey Montana McCoy as Neighthan Rot
 * Laura Bailey as Skelita Calaveras, Headless Headmistress Bloodgood
 * Jonquil Goode as Twyla, Gigi Grant
 * Haviland Stillwell as Avea Trotter
 * Wendee Lee as Nefera de Nile

Productions
In February 2019, Nickelodeon Movies and Mattel announced that a first animated film in third generation had been in development. In October 2019, Genndy Tartakovsky confirmed that he would not direct the film. In September 2020, Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon, a storyboard artist on the first two Monster High sequels and a former crew member of SpongeBob SquarePants and Adventure Time, respectively, were confirmed to be the film's directors, while Tartakovsky would write the screenplay and serve as an executive producer alongside Selena Gomez, who voices Mavis in the series. Production took place remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In April 2021, the film's title was revealed to be Monster High: Transformania and was confirmed that it would be the final film of the series. That same month, Sony confirmed that Adam Sandler would not reprise his role as Dracula. The role was given to Brian Hull after voicing the character in the short film Monster Pets, while Kathryn Hahn, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, and Keegan-Michael Key were confirmed to reprise their roles. The following month, it was announced that Brad Abrell had replaced Kevin James as the voice of Frankenstein. Mark Mothersbaugh returned to score the film, having previously scored the first three installments, while Lynn Hobson served as editor.

Release
Monster High: Transformania was released by Universal and Paramount Studios on Peacock and Paramount+, on January 13, 2023. In February 2019,Paramount and Universal Pictures Releasing scheduled the film for release on December 23, 2022. In April 2020, the film was moved up to August 5, 2022. In April 2022, the film was moved up again to July 22, 2022. In June 2022, the film was rescheduled to September 30, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August 2022, Universal and Paramount Pictures Releasing cancelled the film's theatrical plans and was in discussions to sell the distribution rights to a streaming service, in response to the rising cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the United States. On August 15, 2022, it was reported that Amazon Studios was in negotiations to acquire the distribution rights to the film for $100 million from Sony Pictures Releasing and would release it exclusively on Amazon Prime Video worldwide, excluding China, where Universal and Paramount would release it theatrically on an undetermined date. Sony would also retain home entertainment and linear television rights to the film. On October 7, 2022, Peacock and Paramount+ set a release date of January 13, 2023.

Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 52% of 42 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.10/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Much like the trio of films it follows, Monster High: Transformania is middling family viewing -- relatively painless, but overall rather uninspired." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 41 out of 100 based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".