You know that feeling when the lights start to come up in a theater and everyone immediately stands up to shake the popcorn crumbs off their laps? Usually, you're just trying to beat the traffic in the parking lot. But with the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits, leaving early is a massive mistake. Honestly, it’s one of those rare moments where the production team decided to flex their creative muscles just as most people are looking for the exit. It’s not just a list of names scrolling past a black screen. It’s a full-on visual explosion.
Sony Pictures Animation has this specific "house style" that they’ve perfected over the years, especially within the Drac Pack franchise. While the main movie uses high-end 3D CGI with that signature "rubbery" animation style pioneered by director Genndy Tartakovsky, the credits pivot. They go back to basics. Or, well, a very stylized version of basics.
If you’ve ever watched Samurai Jack or Dexter’s Laboratory, you can see Tartakovsky’s DNA all over this sequence. It’s flat. It’s 2D. It’s incredibly vibrant. It’s basically a love letter to the golden age of UPA-style animation but dressed up in neon monster scales.
The Visual Chaos of the Hotel Transylvania 3 End Credits
The sequence kicks off immediately after the grand finale on the cruise ship. Instead of boring white text, we get these hyper-saturated, 2D versions of Drac, Mavis, Johnny, and the rest of the gang. The Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits use a technique that mimics traditional hand-drawn animation, which is a huge contrast to the 3D models we just spent 90 minutes watching.
It’s fast.
The movement is jerky in a way that feels intentional and rhythmic. You’ve got these bright, flat colors—heavy on the purples, oranges, and lime greens—popping against dark backgrounds. It feels like a comic book come to life. The character designs are pushed to their absolute limits. Drac’s cape becomes a geometric shape rather than a piece of fabric. Mavis’s hair is a sharp, stylized silhouette. It’s a masterclass in character design simplification.
A lot of people don’t realize how much work goes into "simplifying" a 3D character into a 2D icon. You have to keep the essence of the character while stripping away the texture and depth. The team at Sony, specifically the artists credited for the end sequence design like Craig Kellman, really nailed that balance. Kellman is a legend in the industry for a reason; he’s the guy who helped define the look of Madagascar and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. His influence here is undeniable.
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That Catchy Song You Can’t Get Out of Your Head
You can't talk about the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits without talking about the music. The song "I See Love" by Jonas Blue featuring Joe Jonas is what carries the entire sequence. It’s a high-energy dance-pop track that fits the "Summer Vacation" theme of the third movie perfectly.
Joe Jonas, who actually voices the Kraken in the film, brings a certain level of meta-fun to the track. It’s catchy. Maybe too catchy? Some parents probably wanted to pull their hair out after the 50th replay in the car, but you can’t deny it works for the vibe. The song peaked at a decent spot on the dance charts back in 2018, and it remains a staple of the franchise's identity.
The way the animation syncs with the beat is what makes it hypnotic. It’s not just random images. Every pop of color and every character slide happens right on the snare hit. It’s basically a music video disguised as a credit roll.
Why the 2D Style Matters
There’s a deeper reason why the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits look the way they do. Genndy Tartakovsky has always been a 2D guy at heart. Even though he’s directing massive 3D blockbusters, he treats 3D like 2D. He uses "smear frames" and extreme poses that shouldn't physically work in a three-dimensional space.
By using the end credits to showcase pure 2D art, the film pays homage to the roots of the medium. It’s a nod to the artists who grew up on Looney Tunes and The Powerpuff Girls. It also serves as a nice visual "palate cleanser" after the heavy CGI spectacle of the Kraken battle and the "Macarena" dance-off (yes, that happened).
Hidden Details in the Drac Pack Credits
If you look closely at the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits, you’ll see little vignettes that didn't make it into the main movie. It’s almost like a series of "where are they now" postcards.
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- We see the fish-men stewards doing their jobs.
- The wolf pups are, as usual, causing absolute mayhem in stylized environments.
- Invisible Man Griffin is... well, still invisible, but his glasses are doing some heavy lifting in the 2D space.
- Wayne and Wanda finally getting a moment of peace (rare).
It’s these little character beats that make it worth staying. Most movies just give you a "Special Thanks" list. This movie gives you an extra three minutes of character development through art. It’s also worth noting that the credits don't just stop at the fancy 2D animation. They eventually transition into the more standard "scroll," but by then, you've already been treated to a mini-movie.
Honestly, the animation industry is moving toward this trend more and more. Look at Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse or The Bad Guys. They all use these stylized credit sequences to reinforce the artistic identity of the film. Hotel Transylvania 3 was really at the forefront of making the credits an "event."
The Impact on the Franchise
The success of the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits style actually influenced how the fourth movie (Transformania) was marketed and designed. People loved the 2D look so much that Sony leaned into it for promotional materials and shorts.
It’s about brand consistency. When you see those sharp lines and that specific purple hue, you know you’re in Drac's world. It’s a clever bit of marketing disguised as artistic expression. Plus, it keeps kids in their seats for an extra few minutes, which, if you’re a parent, is sometimes the only "break" you get during a movie outing.
Technical Credits and Real Names
For the folks who actually read the names (the true heroes), the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits list hundreds of artists. You’ll see the "Rigging" department, the "Surfacing" team, and the "Lighters."
Animation is a grind. These credits represent years of work. When you see the names of the animators from Sony Pictures Imageworks (the VFX arm based in Vancouver and Culver City), remember that they had to manually tweak every single frame of Drac's cape to make sure it didn't clip through his shoulder. Seeing their names set against such beautiful 2D art is a nice way to honor that effort.
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What to Do Next Time You Watch
Next time you put this on for the kids or catch it on a streaming service, don't just hit "Stop" when the movie ends. Sit through the Hotel Transylvania 3 end credits.
Look at the line work.
Listen to the bass line in the song.
Try to spot the hidden monster doodles in the background.
It’s a rare instance where the "boring" part of a movie is actually a high point of the experience. It reminds us that animation isn't just about making things look "real"—it's about making things look cool.
If you're an aspiring artist or just a fan of the medium, take a screenshot of those 2D character designs. They are perfect examples of how to simplify a complex character into a readable, iconic shape. You can learn more about character silhouette and color theory just by pausing those credits than you can from some textbooks.
The best way to appreciate the work is to watch the credits side-by-side with a behind-the-scenes look at the 3D rigging. The contrast is wild. You’ll see how a character made of thousands of digital polygons is boiled down to five or six simple lines. That’s the magic of the industry.
The credits aren't the end of the movie; they're the final punchline. Don't miss it.
How to make the most of your next viewing:
- Watch for the Smears: Pause the credits during a fast movement. You’ll see "smear frames" where the character’s limbs are stretched out to create the illusion of speed. It’s a classic 2D trick.
- Focus on the Palette: Notice how the colors shift from the bright day-glo of the cruise ship to the deeper "monster" tones. This isn't accidental; it’s designed to transition the viewer out of the movie world.
- Check the Soundtrack: Look up the full version of "I See Love." The radio edit is fine, but the extended version has some production layers that are stripped out for the movie’s timing.
- Research the Artists: Look up Craig Kellman or Genndy Tartakovsky’s early sketches for the film. You’ll see that the 2D credits actually look a lot more like the original "concept art" than the 3D movie does.