Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Dracula

  • Karyn Kusama-Jasmine Cephas Jones ‘Dracula’ Film Cancelled Weeks Before Production 

    Karyn Kusama-Jasmine Cephas Jones ‘Dracula’ Film Cancelled Weeks Before Production 

    It looks like the future of cinema will have one less Dracula film to look back on. In a surprising move, Blumhouse has pulled the plug on Mina Harker, a modern take on the vampiric mythos from veteran director Karyn Kusama. The movie would have told the story of its famous title character, played by Blindspotting’s Jasmine Cephas Jones, as she encountered Dracula on the streets of Los Angeles. Frequent Kusama collaborators Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi had written the script based on Bram Stoker’s original Dracula story. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film entered a freefall and ultimately met its end after Miramax Films, who had been set to produce, exited the project.

    Kusama is a cult favorite genre filmmaker, whose previous work includes sleeper hits like 2005’s Æon Flux and 2009’s Jennifer’s Body. She also regained recognition for her contributions to Showtime’s acclaimed series Yellowjackets. Fans of her work were thrilled when the Dracula concept movie was announced two years ago, and speculation was rampant as to how the creative would adapt such iconic source material. Unfortunately, with the project being killed only weeks before production was et to begin, this will seemingly amount to nothing but an all-time “what if” scenario.

    A separate Dracula adaptation from Blumhouse, Renfield starring Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage, has recently completed filming and is still going forward for release. Hopefully, that project can still be allowed to live up to its hype.

    Source: THR

  • First Look at Nicolas Cage as Dracula on ‘Renfield’ Set

    First Look at Nicolas Cage as Dracula on ‘Renfield’ Set

    Today is the day for set photo leaks, as right after a first look dropped for the live-action One Piece series, we now also got our first look at the upcoming Universal Monsters reimagination of Dracula titled Renfield. The story will focus on Dracula’s long-time assistant as he has a bit of a falling out with his former lord. Nicholas Cage was cast as Dracula, and People magazine got its hands on a first look at the film take on the iconic vampire.

    Image
    Image

    His design looks great, especially the whitened skin and you can clearly see he has some sharp nails. The red felt suit is a nice touch, as it feels like a modernized take of his outfit from Gary Oldman‘s taken the character. We know the series takes place in the modern-day, and it’s uncertain how big his role might be in the film. The blue lips are a fun addition to his design to highlight that he’s definitely a walking corpse.

    The casting of Nic Cage is still a perfect choice for a comedic take on classic vampire stories. He always brings energy to his projects that make him stand out no matter what. With the right director, he’ll definitely give a great performance, and the look is definitely promising a great role in Cage‘s future.

    Source: People

  • ‘Shang-Chi’s Awkwafina Joins Universal’s Dracula Film ‘Renfield’

    ‘Shang-Chi’s Awkwafina Joins Universal’s Dracula Film ‘Renfield’

    Just recently we learned that Nicolas Cage joined Universals project Renfield, which will explore the classic story of Dracula from a different perspective. Nicholas Hoult will take on the main role of Dracula’s servant and will help bring the project to life alongside director Adam McKay. It looks like the casting process has just begun, as Deadline just reported that Awkwafina has also joined the project.

    Currently, the Shang-Chi actress’s role remains under lock and key, but she’s a perfect addition to the more comedic take on the horror classic. Cage will tackle the role of Dracula in the film produced by Skybound Entertainment. They’ll be working off of a script by Ryan Ridley.

    Our titular character, R.M. Renfield, was a former asylum member that went on to become the servant of the prince of darkness. Details are scarce on the project, but it looks like it won’t be a period piece but rather a modern interpretation of the original Dracula novel. It’ll be interesting to see just how different this take on the project might end up being and if it starts off a new, more comedic, Dark Universe.

    Source: Deadline

  • Nicolas Cage Joins Universal’s ‘Renfield’ Movie as Dracula

    Nicolas Cage Joins Universal’s ‘Renfield’ Movie as Dracula

    Nicolas Cage seems like the actor who could appear in almost any project and you’ll never expect it. Well, he’s now joined Universal Studios’ attempt at reviving their monster franchises as the lord of darkness himself, Dracula in the upcoming film Renfield. He’ll be joined by Nicholas Hoult who’ll take on the role of the count’s iconic henchman.

    Chris McKay, fresh off the work on The Tomorrow War, will tackle the project. He is producing alongside The Walking Dead‘s Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Bryan, and Sean Furst. The titular character was brought to life in Bram Stoker‘s 1897 novel, who becomes obsessed with his new lord as they end up depending on each other. It is teased as a modern-day adventure with a comedic tone, which makes sense given McKay‘s filmography. Of course, the addition of Nicolas Cage just adds to that very fact.

    It’ll be interesting to see if Universal is still focused on bringing a cinematic universe to life. While the Dark Universe failed to pick up steam after The Mummy, the more comedic approach might add an extra layer to the experience and make it stand out from other crossover franchises. They might even play on the cheesiness of the original films and bring that to life in curious ways.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter