Universal Studios has decided to go big with its casting for Renfield, an upcoming horror movie centring around Dracula’s famous henchmen. According to Deadline, Nicholas Hoult is set to star in the vampire flick, with The Tomorrow War director Chris McKay on board to lead the project.
In Bram Stoker’s original 1897 Dracula novel, R.M. Renfield is a man perceived as insane. He is an inmate at an asylum who is thought to be suffering from delusions that have caused him to start eating creatures in the hope of gaining immortality. In reality, it turns out that he is actually under the control of the big bad vampire Dracula. Ryan Ridley (Rick and Morty) has penned the new movie’s script. However, it is unknown whether the film will follow the original supernatural storyline. Plot details are currently being kept under wraps, but it is speculated that the new movie will be set in the present day.
Universal has made some of the best monster movies of all time. The studio’s been on a revival kick of late, particularly in regards to the Universal Monsters. Besides Hoult’s vampire adjacent movie, the studio is currently developing a new Wolfman film starring Ryan Gosling, and a Van Helsing movie, which Malignant director James Wan will produce.
Deadline reports that insiders say that Renfield will be taking a surprising comedic, and action movie approach to its story. Considering Universal’s recent horror-centric successes, like the 2020 box office hit, The Invisible Man starring Elisabeth Moss, we’re curious to see how Renfield’s new direction plays when it comes out.
Hoult most recently starred opposite Angelina Jolie in the thriller movie, Those Who Wish Me Dead. He is also known for his portrayal of Beast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s X-Men movies. While no release date has been given for Renfield, fans can look forward to seeing the actor in another horror comedy movie titled The Menu, which is currently in pre-production.
For more classic thrills and scares, check out our list of the best horror movies on Netflix.