Although Universal Pictures announced ‘Renfield’, a solo movie featuring Dracula’s troubled acolyte, a couple of years ago, the particulars have been slow to release. Plot details have been kept fairly quiet and all we know so far is that this film is set in modern day and has a comedic tone. We also know Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, Mad Max: Fury Road) will star as the titular Renfield.
If you haven’t found yourself getting interested in this project yet, this new detail may change your mind. Recently The Hollywood Reporter brought us the exciting news that Nicolas Cage has officially been cast as Count Dracula. It seems almost impossible that it has taken this long for Cage to take on a Dracula role, or even a true vampire role (in 1988’s ‘Vampire’s Kiss’ he plays a man who thinks he is becoming a vampire but isn’t really). He has long cited Christopher Lee (one of film’s most iconic Draculas) as an inspiration and lists Dracula, along with Superman and Captain Nemo as one of the three roles he most wants to play. It will be interesting to see how he embodies this role. We’re always eager to see a wacky Cage role, but he can obviously deliver on serious and poignant if called for as well. This is a return to big studio movies for Cage, who has been largely focused on indie films in recent years.
‘Renfield’ was written by Ryan Ridley (‘Rick and Morty’) and will be directed by Chris McKay (‘The Tomorrow War’). This project is currently in pre-production.
