If you are excited to see Nicolas Cage as Dracula (I mean, who isn’t?), you’ll be glad to know that this cinematic event has finally set a date: Universal gave the horror/comedy film a slight rebrand and slated it for an April 2023 release. The movie is now officially called Renfield and it focuses on Dracula’s henchman and his decision to no longer be dependent on the mighty vampire, and move on with his life.
Renfield started filming earlier this month, and a production photo teased the modern setting of the story, which might have been chosen to play up its comedic effect – if we barely can keep up with Gen-Z trends on TikTok, imagine a thousand-year-old vampire in a modern world. Renfield also follows a trend set by its own production company: Universal has been revisiting its classic monsters and putting them in unique scenarios and narratives, just like they did with 2020’s The Invisible Man and the upcoming Wolf Man remake.
The title character from Renfield is played by Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Dark Phoenix). In Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel, Renfield was featured as a mortal man who becomes a Dracula devout, even though the master vampire doesn’t extend to him the privilege of immortality. Should Holt’s character also be an immortal, we can expect many of Renfield and Dracula’s banter to be centered around this conflict.
Aside from Cage and Hoult, the cast of Renfield also features Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings), Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog 2), Adrian Martinez (The Blacklist: Redemption), Bess Rouss (2016’s Ghostbusters), Shohreh Agdashloo (The Expanse), and James Moses (Queenpins).
Renfield is directed by Emmy winner Chris McKay. The filmmaker has already showcased his talent with action and comedy by helming blockbusters like The Lego Batman Movie and The Tomorrow War, so we know he has the comedy and possible action sequences in Renfield down. The upcoming movie is written by Emmy winner Ryan Ridley, who also exercised his comedy skills on highly successful projects such as Rick and Morty, Community, and Prime Video’s Invincible. The story came from an idea from The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman, which probably explains the horror part.
Considered the Prince of Darkness, Dracula was inspired by a 15th-century Romania prince and the character has been featured in countless stories, from 1931’s Dracula starring Bela Lugosi to Adam Sandler’s animated protagonist on the Hotel Transylvania film series. However, Cage’s performance as the ultimate vampire is anticipated by fans due to the actor’s roster of crazed and legendary characters he’s played across his eclectic career.
Renfield premieres in theaters on April 14, 2023.