THE third in the garish Hotel Transylvania franchise, out this week, is surprising in only one way.

Its cast and director are the same as before, whilst its plot resides in largely familiar territory. What’s harder to believe is that it’s taken director Genndy Tartakovsky and company three films to finally introduce Dracula’s infamous foe Professor Van Helsing to the mix.

Looking for all the world like a Maleficent-Michelin Man mash up, the Van Helsing (Jim Gaffifan) of Hotel Transylvania 3 has devoted over a century to his mission to wipeout Dracula (Adam Sanford) with no avail. Ghostbuster-inspired blasters just don’t cut it apparently.

Luck twists his way, however, when the Count happens to cross his path whilst on a cruise arranged by his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez). His scheme might be as threadbare as they come - it involves a rediscovered Atlantis and ‘the instrument of destruction’ - but is complicated by Dracula’s infatuation with the ship’s human captain Ericka (Kathryn Hahn).

The popularity of the Hotel Transylvania brand has now seen three features, multiple short films and a television series produced. I must confess, the appeal baffles me. Good luck to parents this summer holiday.

Also out this week is the latest in the Mission Impossible franchise - a sixth outing for Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt.

Cruise’s mission - which of course he chooses to accept - is, as ever, to deliver high octane thrills via riotously unrealistic set pieces. Many of these action sequences take place on New Zealand’s 640m high Preikestolen mountain, which was closed to tourists for nine days during filming. It was here that Cruise broke his ankle whilst performing a stunt and stalled production.

If not worth breaking bones over, Mission Impossible: Fallout was certainly worth the 56-year-old action man’s efforts. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film is big on spectacle and just as thrilling. Rebecca Ferguson and, Superman himself, Henry Cavill, co-star.

In a busy week for cinema, horror fans will want to check out The Nun, the latest spin-off from the popular Conjuring franchise.

Produced by the Hayes twins, the series has yet to produce an offshoot as successful as its main film. The Nun chronologically precedes both The Conjuring and Annabelle: Creation but can it meet their standards?

- Toby Symonds