The film may spotlight the lackey, but the boss is still hanging around (no pun intended).
The new Universal Pictures movie Renfield–a different take on the Vampire Lord’s legend–will tell the story of R.M. Renfield, Dracula’s unhinged underling with an appetite for creepy crawlies. But, according to a report on screenrant.com, the master will still play a significant role in the film.
No casting choices for either part have been announced at this early stage of the project, and no production schedule has been released.
Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead)–who presented the idea for Renfield and will act as a producer–was asked if the undead Count will appear in the film. His answer? “Absolutely. The whole plot is that Renfield is Dracula’s servant, and he decides he doesn’t want to be a servant anymore,” Kirkman said.
“It’s that conflict that drives the story,” he added. “So, yeah, Dracula’s actually a big part of the movie. Who will play him? Can’t say. Wish I could.” So, does that mean the part has already been cast, but that information is being kept under wraps? Time will tell.
The film–directed by Chris McKay (The Tomorrow War) from a screenplay by Ryan Ridley–is believed to be set in the present day, and will not be a period piece, as so many Dracula offerings are.
The Renfield character–who first appeared in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula–was portrayed as an inmate in a psychiatric hospital who apparently suffered from unusual delusions. In reality, he was the sniveling servant of the nocturnal Count.
Renfield has popped up in several Dracula-themed films through the years, including Nosferatu (1922), Dracula (1931) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992).
Keep reading Horror News Network for the latest updates on Renfield.
