Rob Zombie will pay tribute to “Hot Rod Herman,” one of the most memorable episodes of The Munsters, in his upcoming movie. For months, Zombie has been keeping fans updated on the progress of his reboot every step of the way, from the construction of the sets to sneak peeks at the characters’ designs. The filmmaker’s latest update reveals a look at Herman’s jacket reading “The Punk Rods” on the back, and it looks exactly like the one he wore in “Hot Rod Herman.”
“A sneak peek at a piece of Herman’s wardrobe. I am sure you Munster maniacs will recognize,” Rob Zombie says in the caption. Indeed, this unique look for Herman would be impossible to forget for anyone who’s seen the classic episode.
Originally aired in 1965, “Hot Rod Herman” features a storyline with Herman Munster losing the iconic Koach on a bet. Grandpa Munster is then inspired to build his own roadster, dubbed the Drag-u-la, to win back the Koach. The episode presents the first appearance of the Drag-u-la vehicle of which Rob Zombie is a very big fan. It also includes Herman Munster wearing his “Punk Rods” jacket that Zombie has just recreated for his new movie.
It seems clear that “Hot Rod Herman” really made an impact on Zombie. The episode is featured in Zombie’s first movie House of 1000 Corpses as an Easter egg, referencing the filmmaker’s favorite TV series. Zombie’s hit song “Dragula” is also directly inspired by the Drag-u-la built by Grandpa Munster on the TV show. It’s only natural for elements of that episode to appear in the upcoming movie as well.
This is also another sign of how faithful to the TV series Zombie plans on making his movie reboot. The director had blueprints made up of the original Munsters house so he could have a new one built looking the exact same way. He has also gone so far as to have all of Mockingbird Heights built as opposed to just the Munsters home at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Recently, Zombie also referred to The Munsters as the “greatest show ever” while celebrating its 57th anniversary.
It’s awesome to see the sets getting constructed, and these sneak peeks at the wardrobe are pretty fun as well. What most of us are waiting on is more information about the casting, possibly even the actors in character in some sneak peek photos. Nobody has been officially confirmed for the cast at this time. However, there have been rumored names attached to the cast, and they haven’t been denied by Zombie either.
Sheri Moon Zombie is rumored to play Lily Munster with frequent Zombie collaborator Jeff Daniel Phillips rumored for Herman. Other major players in Zombie’s filmography that are reportedly involved include Dan Roebuck and Richard Brake, while Elvira and Lost star Jorge Garcia have also been named. Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy has also teased his involvement in Rob Zombie’s next movie, suggesting he’s a part of the cast as well.
A release date hasn’t been set for The Munsters Movie. Word is the movie will be given a day-and-date release in movie theaters and on the streaming service Peacock.