One of the most embarrassing studio failures in recent memory simply has to be Universal Studios’ “Dark Universe,“ an attempt to create a new cinematic universe out of the studio’s iconic monsters that pretty much failed right out of the gate.

The Tom Cruise-starring The Mummy both started and ended the universe, with the universe’s architects subsequently bailing and the plug being pulled on the planned second film, Bride of Frankenstein.

Universal’s monster movies formed the original cinematic universe and now Universal can’t get a cinematic universe off the ground when they’re all the rage. Go figure.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard a peep from the Dark Universe, which we assumed had been completely abandoned. But a recent Instagram post from artist Robert Vargas, brought to our attention by the website Universal Monsters Universe today, gives some hope that the Dark Universe isn’t completely dead… not yet, at least.

According to Vargas, he had a meeting last week with the Dark Universe team at the Universal offices, noting in the image caption that he’s “looking forward to contributing to the Universal Pictures legacy with my work.”

Vargas added, “Monster things in the works.”

As for what this exactly means, we have no idea at this time. But it would seem that Universal is planning *something* under the Dark Universe umbrella.