24K Magic AI Trend: What It Is and How to Make It

What is the 24K Magic AI trend?

The 24K Magic AI trend is a two-role video remake: one person dances on a cruise ship deck while a second person reacts from a corridor, following the shot order of a reference clip. The scene comes from Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, the 2018 animated film (US theatrical release: 13 July 2018) (Wikipedia, read Nov 4, 2026). The film's soundtrack notes state that Bruno Mars' 24K Magic was provided for the scene in which Dracula dances on the cruise ship. The song was released as a single on October 7, 2016 (Wikipedia, read Nov 4, 2026).

The trend is also called the "Dracula cruise ship dance" and the "Hotel Transylvania 3 dance". It is a fan-made format, not a clip taken from the film, not an official release from the studio, and the song is not AI-generated: it is the 2016 recording. The remake replaces the two on-screen roles with faces from uploaded photos while keeping the dance, the camera moves and the cut to the corridor. A second reference clip casts two cats in the same parts, which is why the pet version carries its own name.

The two roles are assigned in a fixed order. The deck dancer is the close-up that opens the sequence; the corridor performer appears as the reaction shot. Swapping the photo order changes who appears in each part, not the scene itself.

What the video looks like

The sequence follows a fixed order, observed in the published sample clip on Nov 4, 2026:

1. An indoor close-up of the first performer, hands raised near the chest.
2. A wide deck shot: one dancer on the wooden deck, with white stairs, railings and open sky behind them.
3. A cut to the second performer in profile, looking off camera with the sea behind them.
4. A two-person deck shot near the end, one performer turning and the other crouching close to the lens; the template page calls this the closing flare gag.
5. Footwork close-ups recur between the wider shots.

The published sample is a timing reference, not a finished generation. Its file reads 29.9 seconds at 960×540 with an AAC audio track; the default generated output is 30 seconds at 720p, at the settings shown before generation.

How to make it

How we tested: on Nov 4, 2026 we read the template page and the pricing page, downloaded the published sample MP4, and checked its duration, frame, audio track and shot order with a media probe; no paid generation was run in this pass.

1. Open the 24K Magic AI template and choose one of the two reference clips, which fixes the dance, the camera sequence and the two roles.
2. Upload photo 1 for the deck dancer and photo 2 for the corridor performer, one subject per photo; for the cat reference, use one photo per pet in the same order.
3. Check the credit cost, duration, resolution and framing shown before generating, then edit the preset prompt if a different outfit or visual style is wanted.
4. Generate, then review the result for face consistency across the cuts before downloading.

Both roles come from the photos; the reference clip supplies the movement. The template page states the default as a 30-second 720p 16:9 video and notes that the settings selected in the tool determine the output. Editing the prompt changes clothing or visual style, while keeping each photo assigned to the same part preserves the two-role setup.

Photo tips

The template page asks for one person or pet per image and for both faces to be easy to see. It also states that filming a dance is not required: the reference clip supplies the movement, so still photos are enough to take part.

Common problems and fixes

• The two roles are swapped. Photo 1 always maps to the deck dancer and photo 2 to the corridor performer; re-upload in that order.
• A single group photo does not work. The template expects two separate images, with one subject visible in each.
• The scene cannot be changed. The deck, dance and camera sequence are fixed by the chosen reference clip; only outfit and visual style are open to prompt edits. This is a template limitation, not a rendering fault.
• A sample clip looks softer than the output. The published sample is a 960×540 preview, while the default generated output is 720p; compare them at the same scale.

When posting, turn on the platform's AI-generated label and use only photos of yourself or of adults who agreed to be included.

FAQ

Is this the official scene from Hotel Transylvania 3? No. It is a fan-made remake built from two photos and a reference clip. The film was released in 2018, and the AI versions use new faces rather than the film footage. The song in the original scene is the 2016 Bruno Mars recording, not a track produced by AI.

Why is it also called the Dracula cruise ship dance? Because the copied scene shows Dracula dancing on the cruise ship to 24K Magic, as recorded in the film's soundtrack entry on Wikipedia. Hotel Transylvania 3 dance and 24K Magic AI cat dance refer to the same two-role format; the last name is used when the cat reference clip is selected.

How much does it cost? Popliqo is a subscription: plans start at $12/month (Creator), with a 7-day trial for $4.99; every template shows its credit cost before you generate, and failed generations are refunded automatically.

Do I need to film myself dancing? No. Two still photos and a chosen reference clip are enough. The reference supplies the movement and the shots, and the photos supply the two faces, so no dance footage has to be recorded.

Can the result use pets? Yes. Choose the cat reference clip and upload one photo per pet. The first takes the deck dance and the second the corridor reaction, with clear photos showing each face, fur colour and markings.

Sources

• Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, Wikipedia, read Nov 4, 2026: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Transylvania_3:_Summer_Vacation
• 24K Magic (song), Wikipedia, read Nov 4, 2026: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24K_Magic_(song)
• 24K Magic AI template page, Popliqo, read Nov 4, 2026: https://popliqo.com/template/24k-magic-ai
• Pricing, Popliqo, read Nov 4, 2026: https://popliqo.com/pricing