NECA's Universal Monsters line keeps digging deeper into the classic catalog, and its newest release goes past the well-known 1931 Frankenstein look. The Ultimate Son of Frankenstein figure recreates Boris Karloff's final outing as the Monster, from the 1939 film of the same name.
Pre-orders opened Friday, August 7, priced at $37.99. The figure is built on NECA's 7-inch Ultimate format, which means a heavier accessory load than the company's standard figures.
It ships alongside a companion Invisible Man Ultimate figure, continuing NECA's pattern of pairing two Universal Monsters releases in the same wave. Both are aimed at collectors who already have shelf space carved out for classic horror.
NECA's earlier Frankenstein's Monster releases mostly drew from the 1931 original film. This one is a deliberate departure, capturing Karloff's appearance and costuming from the 1939 follow-up instead.
The figure comes dressed in the character's signature sheep wool vest, a detail unique to this specific film appearance. It ships with two head sculpts, both carrying Karloff's likeness, plus interchangeable hands for different poses.
Two accessories round out the set: a Fairy Tales book, a key prop from the film's plot, and Inspector Krogh's prosthetic arm. That second piece is a nod to a supporting character rather than the Monster himself, which is an unusual but welcome inclusion for a single-figure release. It's the kind of detail that rewards collectors who know the film beyond the Monster's silhouette alone.
NECA has been steadily expanding Universal Monsters beyond the obvious headliners. Recent waves have covered Aliens crossover territory and slasher icons, but classic Universal horror has stayed a smaller, slower-growing sub-catalog within the broader Ultimates format.
That scarcity is part of the appeal. Universal Monsters Ultimates tend to sell through pre-order windows faster than some of NECA's higher-volume horror lines, partly because they cross over with collectors who don't otherwise buy modern slasher figures.
A Q1 2027 shipping window gives buyers time to budget, but it also means a long wait between paying and receiving the figure. That's standard for NECA pre-orders, though it's worth flagging for anyone new to the brand.
At $37.99, this figure sits toward the lower end of NECA's Ultimates pricing tier, which typically runs $40 to $65 depending on accessory count and licensing costs. Universal Monsters releases have historically landed on the more affordable side of that range.
NECA ships Ultimates figures in window-box packaging that displays the contents without opening, which matters if you're deciding between a carded and an opened display. The box art for this wave leans into the film's black-and-white horror aesthetic rather than a generic Universal Monsters template.
Collectors who keep figures carded for potential resale value should note that Universal Monsters Ultimates tend to hold steadier secondary-market pricing than higher-volume horror lines, simply because fewer units typically enter circulation per wave.
Assuming every Ultimates release includes the same accessory count. Loadouts vary significantly by character and film source, and this one's inclusion of a supporting-character prop isn't guaranteed on future releases.
Displaying the wool vest texture in direct sunlight for long stretches. Fabric and textured elements age faster than the figure's hard plastic body, and fading is difficult to reverse.
Skipping a pre-order because a Q1 2027 date feels far off. Universal Monsters Ultimates have historically had tighter print runs than mainstream horror releases, and waiting for general availability isn't a reliable fallback.
Losing the smaller prosthetic arm accessory before ever displaying the figure. It's an easy piece to misplace in shipping packaging if you're not careful unboxing.
Given the mix of fabric texture and two swappable heads, this figure benefits from protection that keeps dust off without requiring you to disturb the pose. The NECA Ultimate Action Figure Display Case Protector is sized specifically for this format and keeps the box display-ready if you want to preserve packaging value. For an open-box display alongside other Universal Monsters pieces, the EVORETRO Acrylic Modular Case gives enough interior room for the figure plus its extra head and accessories.
NECA has listed a Q1 2027 shipping window for this release, though pre-orders are open now at $37.99.
No. This figure is based specifically on Boris Karloff's appearance in 1939's Son of Frankenstein, which differs in costuming from NECA's earlier 1931-inspired releases.
The figure ships with two head sculpts, interchangeable hands, a Fairy Tales book prop, and Inspector Krogh's prosthetic arm.
Yes, NECA revealed the Invisible Man Ultimate as a separate release in the same wave rather than as a packaged set.
Universal Monsters Ultimates move faster through pre-order windows than NECA's higher-volume lines, and this one's supporting-character accessory makes it a standout even among recent horror waves. If classic Universal horror already has a spot on your shelf, this is worth locking in now rather than waiting for a general release that may not come.
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