Universal began talking about a sequel to Frankenstein before the 1931 original had even opened, and the original ending was changed so Henry Frankenstein could survive. James Whale, the director, first refused to make it, believing he had already squeezed the idea dry. When his earlier film The Invisible Man became a hit, the studio realised he was the only director who could make it, so he agreed on the condition that he could make a different film first. He decided to treat the sequel as a playful, memorable horror comedy. Many scripts were rejected before a final version was approved in late 1934, and filming began in January 1935.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.