With Chris McKay's vampire comedy horror Renfield just over a week away from emerging in theaters, co-stars Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage are eager to hype up one another's performance in the Universal monster movie. Collider can exclusively reveal a new featurette that sees the two actors espousing high praise for what they each brought to the set creatively. By the end, it's clear they had a blast working together once again to bring the iconic vampire Dracula and his loyal titular servant to life in a manner never seen before.Hoult opens up the clip by talking about the legacy of Cage and his sheer excitement when he first heard of his casting. One thing Hoult testifies to is Cage's willingness to go all in for the bloody fun of Renfield. The Oscar winner has proven he's up for anything over the course of his career, from classics like Leaving Las Vegas to indie horror gems like Mandy and even the self-aware, self-parodying The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, but Hoult called it a "highlight of his career" to play against Cage's revitalized Dracula. Cage, for his part, sees the same charm in Hoult that he saw while playing the actor's father in The Weather Man. He likes the vulnerable, soulful approach Hoult brings to acting, but his highest praise is saved for Hoult's comedic chops which he refers to as "Chaplin-esque." No matter how Renfield is received, the stars want viewers to know the other is really bringing it to make the film something special.Renfield takes a unique spin on the supernatural connection between Dracula and Renfield, redefining it as a toxic relationship centuries in the making. A "sequel" to the 1931 Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, the film follows Hoult's Renfield as he tries to escape the long shadow of his megalomaniacal, supernaturally powerful boss Dracula. It's a big swing for Universal, echoing the Hammer Horror films with a "pop art" Dracula that hearkens back to Christopher Lee while still connecting to audiences with good humor. Hoult and Cage's clashes are sure to be the comedic highlight as the poor servant finally learns how to find the light.
Hoult and Cage are joined in Renfield by Awkwafina who'll also see a lot of time with Renfield as his romantic interest and traffic cop with an anger issue Rebecca. She acts as both a threat to the long-standing image of Dracula and Renfield and also a way for the assistant to finally escape his master even if she is freaked out by the fact that he basically "gets the villain's Postmates." Ben Schwartz also plays a prominent role as a colorfully-dressed crime boss at the head of a werewolf mask-donning gang, poising him as the true villain of the flick despite Dracula's torment. Adrian Martinez, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Bess Rouss, and James Moses Black all round out the cast.
When Can You See Renfield in Theaters?
Helping to bring Renfield together are Invincible's Robert Kirkman and Rick and Morty's Ryan Ridley who penned the screenplay. Before haunting theaters, McKay's latest is on a brief festival tour after making its world premiere at the Overlook Film Festival back on March 30. General audiences, meanwhile, will be able to sink their teeth into the horror comedy in theaters on April 14.
Check out the exclusive featurette below: