History Film / DraculaUntold

* CompletelyDifferentTitle: In Japan, the film became ''Dracula Zero''.

* SilverHasMysticPowers: Pure silver is one of the weaknesses of vampires, and it appears that light glints off of them in such a way that it also makes it hard for the vampires to see.

After production on the film finished, its ending was reshot to tie into a planned reboot of the classic [[Franchise/UniversalHorror Universal Monsters]] SharedUniverse [[FollowTheLeader in the spirit of]] the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse or the Film/DCExtendedUniverse - making the film a prequel of sorts. It was followed by a new version of ''[[Film/TheMummy2017 The Mummy]]'' set in the present, but ultimately was [[CanonDiscontinuity removed from continuity]].

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: A given, since the premise is equating the historical Dracula with the fictional one. Although the film gets ''some'' things right, such as the complicated tribute/enemy situation with the Ottoman Turkish empire, and that Dracula's (first) wife died because of an Ottoman attack.
** Vlad's kingdom is repeatedly called Transylvania rather than the historically accurate Wallachia, a different region.
** Vlad's family was not known as the House of Dracul and associated with dragons since time immemorial, as implied - the Dracul name and motif only began with his father.
** Vlad's wife and son have their names changed. In the course of his life he had two wives and three sons, none of whom share their names with the movie characters. The name of his first wife who died because of an Ottoman attack is unknown.
** Vlad indeed spent years among the Ottomans, but as a noble hostage, not an enslaved soldier for them.
** In the film Vlad gets his Impaler nickname for his deeds in the Turkish army. In real life he gained this reputation by doing that to the Turks ([[HistoricalHeroUpgrade and his own people]]), not ''for'' them.
** [[AdaptedOut There's no mention whatsoever]] of Vlad Dracula's brother, [[CainAndAbel Radu the Handsome.]] As boys they were taken hostage together by the Turks. But unlike Vlad, Radu came to support them, converted to Islam, and led the invading army in the campaign roughly corresponding to the Sultan's invasion in the film. He seems to have been [[CompositeCharacter combined with the Sultan]], who claims to be a former friend.
** Mehmet II [[spoiler:dies in this film FAR earlier]] compared to his historical counterpart, and it was in a completely different way. Also, the details of the real Dracula's end are varied, convoluted and rather iffy, but however he died, the Turks removed his head and sent it to Istanbul as proof he was most definitely ''dead.''
** The Ottoman Janissary Corps is portrayed far worse than it actually was. In the Christian parts of the Ottoman Empire at least, parents would have reacted to their children becoming Janissaries the same way parents today react when their kids get an offer from a good university. Yes, Janissaries were slave soldiers. But they were also extremely high-ranking ones, received the best training, highest education and much better living conditions than would have ever been attainable in Christian Europe. Hell, they could even rise to become Viziers and end up running the Empire.
** The fact that Vlad initially attained the Wallachian throne chiefly through ''Ottoman'' assistance is sadly glossed over in the film.
** Mehmet is portrayed as wanting to forcibly convert all of Christian Europe to Islam. Not only are compelled conversions invalid according to the Qur'an (''“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.”'' ''[Sûrah al-Baqarah: 256]''), but Mehmet II is in fact remembered for instituting the Ottoman Millet, under which various minority groups could conduct themselves according to their own legal codes, for example Jews and the Halakha, or, more to the point, ''Christians under Canon Law''. He's also remembered for allowing the Byzantine Church to continue functioning even after his conquest of Constantinople and even ''ordered'' the Byzantine Patriarch Gennadius to translate Christian doctrines into Turkish.
** Historically, the envoys Mehmet II sent to Wallachia only demanded a tithe of 500 boys, rather than 1000 as seen here.
** The knights seen fleeing from Vlad in the opening narration are wearing 12th century armor, while Vlad lived in the 15th century.

* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The theme song for the Japanese release is [[http://www.jpopsuki.tv/video/VAMPS---VAMPIRE%2526%2523039%253BS-LOVE/a5a6b811b92233c21cab521d7a5fc446 "VAMPIRE'S LOVE"]] by VAMPS.

After production on the film finished, its ending was reshot to tie into a planned reboot of the classic [[Franchise/UniversalHorror Universal Monsters]] SharedUniverse [[FollowTheLeader in the spirit of]] the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse or the Film/DCExtendedUniverse - making the film a prequel of sorts. It is to be followed by a new version of ''Film/TheMummy1932'' set in the present.

* LooksLikeOrlock: The Elder Vampire.

* HappilyMarried: Vlad and Mirena definitely count as this, judging by their love-filled reunion after Vlad returns from scouting Broken Tooth, her complete acceptance of his temporary transformation, [[spoilers: and Vlad's grief after her death.]]

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Mehmed, [[spoiler: knowing how powerful Vlad is, arranges for a decoy to be seen leading his army while he sneaks into the monastery with a few men to go after Vlad's wife and son. Also see CrazyPrepared]].

* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: Vampires are weakened by pure silver, so [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy Mehmet]] decides to face Vlad in a room flooded with silver coins.

** More literally, "Dracula" itself means "son of the dragon."

An American dark fantasy action film directed by Gary Shore and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, released by Creator/UniversalStudios. The film explores the origins of the legendary Count {{Dracula}} (Creator/LukeEvans), weaving vampire mythology with the true history of Prince UsefulNotes/VladTheImpaler, depicting Dracula as a flawed hero in a tragic love story set in a dark age of magic and war.

-->--'''Vlad "the Impaler" Dracula'''

After production on the film finished, its ending was reshot to tie into a planned reboot of the classic [[UniversalHorror Universal Monsters]] SharedUniverse [[FollowTheLeader in the spirit of]] the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse or the Film/DCExtendedUniverse - making the film a prequel of sorts. It is to be followed by a new version of ''Film/TheMummy1932'' set in the present.

* PhyrricVillainy: Mehmet sends a thousand men to lay siege to Vlad's castle. Vlad kills them all. At this point, Mehmet has already lost as many trained soldiers as he would have had in conscripts, yet he wastes scores more on a petty grudge insteal of cutting his losses.

%% * {{Protectorate}}: Transylvania

* SlowMotionFall: The wife of Vlad, falling to her death.

* TranshumanTreachery: Once the fledgeling vampires Vlad has sired are finished with the Ottomans, they start eyeing Vlad's son hungrily. Their spokes-pire even going so far as to say "all of them (humans) are now our enemies."

* DarkIsNotEvil[=/=]LightIsNotGood: Vlad's "son of the dragon" armour is dark red or possibly black, and having accepted his vampyrism gives him the ability to make dark thunderstorms; nonetheless, he is a WisePrince and a good king. Meanwhile, Mehmet - who demanded a thousand boys to use as "[[CannonFodder soldiers]]" - dresses in gold armour, and surrounds himself in silver coins for the fight with Vlad.

-->--'''Vlad "the Impaler" Dracula''

->''"My father was a great man. A hero, so they say. Sometimes the world does not need another hero. Sometimes what it needs…is a monster."''
-->-- '''Ingeras''', son of Vlad Dracula

%% * ArmiesAreEvil: The Ottoman army.

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: When his vampiric subjects begin to turn against him, with plans to feed upon his son, Dracula gives him to the monk to be taken away to safety, and then uses his powers to part the dark clouds currently blocking out the sun, burning the vampires and of course, himself. On his part however, it doesn't stick, as the gypsy from earlier recovers his body and uses some of his blood to revive him]].

** The gypsy says "Yes Master" in a way similar to the way characters said it in other Universal monster movies back in the day.

** [[spoiler: After being burned in the sun, Dracula is revived when TheRenfield drips blood onto his remains,]] much like in ''Film/DraculaPrinceOfDarkness''.

* TheRenfield: An interesting twist on the trope, in that Dracula hates the behavior. A gypsy recognises Vlad as a vampire partway through the film, and makes an offer to serve him, offering some of his own blood for Vlad to drink. Vlad, in the midst of resisting his bloodlust, angrily refuses him. [[spoiler: The same gypsy appears at the end of the film, and uses his blood to revive Dracula's body]].

* SuicideBySunlight: Dracula attempts this early on, [[spoiler:and much later, though he is [[InterruptedSuicide stopped by]] TheRenfield.]]

%% * UnderestimatingBadassery: The Ottomans seriously invoked this with Vlad Dracula.

* FollowTheLeader: The film had to be hastily re-shot to include an ending setting the stage for a shared universe with the other Universal monsters similar to the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse''.

** [[HistoricalVillainUpgrade Mehmet]] is portrayed as wanting to forcibly convert all of Christian Europe to Islam. Not only are compelled conversions invalid according to the Qur'an (''“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.”'' ''[Sûrah al-Baqarah: 256]''), but Mehmet II is in fact remembered for instituting the Ottoman Millet, under which various minority groups could conduct themselves according to their own legal codes, for example Jews and the Halakha, or, more to the point, ''Christians under Canon Law''. He's also remembered for allowing the Byzantine Church to continue functioning even after his conquest of Constantinople and even ''ordered'' the Byzantine Patriarch Gennadius to translate Christian doctrines into Turkish.

* DealWithTheDevil: The Elder Vampire's ritual gave Vlad incredible power but at the price of his humanity by turning him into a vampire. Also, the Elder Vampire got his powers from an actual demon.

** Mehmet is portrayed as wanting to forcibly convert all of Christian Europe to Islam. Not only are compelled conversions invalid according to the Qur'an (''“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.”'' ''[Sûrah al-Baqarah: 256]''), but Mehmet II is in fact remembered for instituting the Ottoman Millet, under which various minority groups could conduct themselves according to their own legal codes, for example Jews and the Halakha, or, more to the point, ''Christians under Canon Law''. He's also remembered for allowing the Byzantine Church to continue functioning even after his conquest of Constantinople and even ''ordered'' the Byzantine Patriarch Gennadius to translate Christian doctrines into Turkish.

After production on the film finished, its ending was reshot to tie into a planned reboot of the classic [[UniversalHorror Universal Monsters]] SharedUniverse [[FollowTheLeader in the spirit of]] the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse or the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse - making the film a prequel of sorts. It is to be followed by a new version of ''Film/TheMummy1932'' set in the present.

After production on the film finished, its ending was reshot to tie into a planned reboot of the classic [[UniversalHorror Universal Monsters]] SharedUniverse [[FollowTheLeader in the spirit of]] the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse or the Franchise/DCCinematicUniverse - making the film a prequel of sorts. It is to be followed by a new version of ''Film/TheMummy1932'' set in the present.

An American dark fantasy action film directed by Gary Shore and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, released by Creator/UniversalStudios. The film explores the origins of the legendary Count {{Dracula}}, weaving vampire mythology with the true history of Prince UsefulNotes/VladTheImpaler, depicting Dracula as a flawed hero in a tragic love story set in a dark age of magic and war.