Universal's Renfield, the upcoming film where Nicolas Cage plays Dracula, has earned an R rating from the MPAA for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use. The film stars Nicolas Hoult as the title character, who decides he is fed up with serving Count Dracula and wants to live his own life. The film is said to be humorous in tone, but an adventure tale at its core. Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Bess Rouss round out the rest of the film's cast.

Renfield has been described as rather campy, so it may surprise some that the film has received an R rating rather than a PG-13. Renfield originally began as a pitch from The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. The film is directed by Chris McKay from a script by Ryan Ridley. McKay previously directed the films The Lego Batman Movie and The Tomorrow War while Ridley is known for being a writer for Rick and Morty. Renfield began shooting on February 3 but suffered setbacks when over 20 vehicles belonging to members of the production were burglarized on the set. Filming ended up wrapping on April 14.

Cage recently spoke to Empire about portraying Dracula in the film, saying “When I got a sense of where McKay wanted to go, I realized the movie has a comedic, pop art attitude. So I thought: ‘This will be a pop-art Dracula.’ Warhol did a great black-on-black Dracula. This is in that Warhol vein.” The beloved actor then explained that the original incarnation of Nosferatu was some of his biggest inspiration, adding, “I noticed all these little gestures that are, by today’s standards, ‘over the top’. When Max Schreck does that [snaps his wrist and extends his fingers] and puffs into smoke, I was like, ‘What is that? Is it dance? What is he conveying there?’ I said to Chris McKay that I really wanted to find a place to put that in ‘Renfield.’ I haven’t seen the movie so I don’t know if they kept it, but I tried.”

Renfield

RELATED: Nicolas Cage Teases "Pop-Art" Dracula Role in 'Renfield'

Renfield will be released theatrically on April 14, 2023, and only time will tell how much the film really earns its R rating. Check out the official synopsis below:

“The film centers on Renfield (Hoult), who has grown sick and tired of his centuries as Dracula’s (Cage) lackey. The henchman finds a new lease on life and maybe even redemption when he falls for feisty, perennially angry traffic cop Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina).”