Up and Coming Films

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by gag

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/...ovie-universal

Nicolas Cage Will Finally Play Dracula in Upcoming ‘Renfield’ Movie for Universal.

Originally announced a couple years back, Universal Pictures has been developing a solo movie for Dracula’s henchman Renfield, based on an original pitch from “The Walking Dead” creator Robert Kirkman. Chris McKay (The Tomorrow War) is set to direct the movie, with Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, Mad Max: Fury Road) on board to star as Renfield.

THR brings us the exciting news today that Nicolas Cage is now also on board the project. Even more exciting? Nicolas Cage is playing Count Dracula in the movie!

The Hollywood Reporter also notes, “Plot details are being kept in the coffin, but the project is described as a modern-day adventure story that is comedic in tone.”

Cage of course played a man who believed he was a vampire in the zany comedy Vampire’s Kiss, but this will be the first time he’s ever actually played the role he seemed destined to someday take over. Cage as Dracula is something I personally have been imagining for a long time now, as it seems like such a perfect role for the beloved actor to sink his teeth into.

With the upcoming movie, penned by Ryan Ridley (“Rick and Morty”), said to be “comedic in tone,” we could very well be getting the most over-the-top Dracula on screen to date.

Then again, Cage could surely also nail a more serious Count. Stay tuned!

Deadline explained the project, which is being produced by Robert Kirkman, “In the original “Dracula” novel, R.M. Renfield was an inmate at a lunatic asylum who was thought to be suffering from delusions, but is actually a servant of Dracula. Plot details are currently unknown, though it’s believed to take place during the present day and is not a period piece.”

The character was memorably played by Dwight Frye (below) in the 1931 Dracula.

The first trailer

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

The first trailer

This looks decent

[trebor8273]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

The first trailer

Really like the look of this unlike evil dead rise which did nothing for me and didn't even feel like a evil dead movie felt more like conjuring / insidious type movie.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

The Renfield trailer is very good, making the film look like it has a good blend of comedy, horror, and action.

Nicholas Hoult is a talented and fairly rare actor as he has made the successful transition from childhood to adulthood, succeeding as an actor as a youngster in About a Boy and Wah-Wah, and now as an established adult actor.

He was very good in The Favourite, Warm Bodies and, most recently, The Menu, and he looks to be very well cast in this.

[gag]

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by gag

I'm definitely up for this one

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

As when Susan posted the trailer a few days ago in the Evil Dead Saga thread and nos said it looked like a jumble of bits from recent supernatural films, well it hasn't changed.

You could watch that trailer without any reference to Evil Dead and have absolutely no idea it was supposedly from that series.

Nothing about it says Evil Dead.

[J Harker]

I thought that Evil Dead Rising trailer looked decent, but, and its a big but...it looks absolutely nothing like an Evil Dead film. Merely an entertaining enough generic time passer. There's something about the Evil Dead franchise that I think makes it difficult to do anything with these days. The cabin, the distinct look of the deadites and of course Bruce Campbell, those elements are simply so iconic and so fundamental to what makes The Evil Dead work that I don't think its a repeatable formula these days.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

It looked like typical Blumhouse supernatural film to me. The sort of thing they release every other month. Insidious and stuff like that.

Very uninspiring stuff. Give me Ash vs Evil Dead any day.

[nosferatu42]

I watched Ash vs evil dead over xmas and really enjoyed it, i'd only seen the first series prior. The pitch was perfect, it was as gory as the first film but as stupid as the third.

Hugely enjoyable, and while some storylines started to get a bit repetitive in the final series it still kept the one liners and fun coming.

The problem with Evil dead without Ash is that it becomes too serious as happened with the remake thing, whereas what made the series standout in the first place was the kinetic energy, goofy fun and experimental aspect, even the more serious original had bizarre moments.

The new one looks decently made but generic, and just dark and grim, like someone swallowed it's soul.

Also can't help feeling the setting is gonna turn it into a REC clone.

I will watch it at some point, but unless it gets really good reviews I can't see myself in a hurry to see it.