Completed for $278,000 it was one of Universal's most expensive productions of the 1930s.
Originally, Universal wanted to make a sequel based on Bram Stoker's short story 'Dracula's Guest' and negotiated with Stoker's widow Florence. During the talks between the two, it was discovered that Bram Stoker had not complied with one requirement of the U.S Copyright office with his novel 'Dracula', which rendered it public domain in the United States. Because Florence wanted more creative control over the sequel, and Bela Lugosi wanted more money to reprise the role of Count Dracula, Universal instead hired John L. Balderston to write a new story.
Director Lambert Hillyer was injured on the 9th day of production (according to publicity, Friday the 13th) when a free-standing fill light toppled on his head. Nearly half a day of shooting was lost when he was briefly hospitalized, but filming started February 4, 1936 and finished March 10, 1936, and there was a Thursday the 13th, but no Friday the 13th in that time interval.
Four days after production wrapped, Universal's principal creditor, Standard Capital Corp., seized control of the studio and the Laemmle family - including patriarch Carl Laemmle, who had founded the studio - were unceremoniously kicked out.