Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe

The Renfield movie has been decribed as "a comedic, lighthearted approach in the vein of Taika Waititi's vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, in which Renfield realizes he is in a bad, co-dependent relationship.", so I would expect that it involves Dracula. But I'm not expecting the version of Dracula made for a comedy film to go on to appear in serious Dracula films.

What I'm wondering the most about the Renfield movie is whether it will be loosely following the Dracula story but from the perspective of Renfield (and probably sparing him because comedies don't normally end with the protagonists dying to redeem themselves), or if it will be a completely different story about being the deranged henchman of an ancient vampire lord.

Edited by BOOXMOWO on Feb 29th 2020 at 7:04:46 AM

That's a bit disappointing. I was hoping for something of a character study of how Renfield developed his mania and ended up in the asylum, something the original book never went into. Not that I don't trust Dexter Fletcher to competently execute the concept, but still...

Will likely be better than that proposed Invisible Woman remake, if that one ever happens.

You know what mildly surprises that hasn't been done more often? an adaptation of the bit (mostly off-screen) of Dracula aboard the ship hunting down the members of the ship.

"The faithful captain long since cold / He kept his log till the bloody end / Last entry read / "Rats in the hold. My crew is dead, I fear the plague"

Their was a book based on it called Dracula's Demeter by Doug Lamoreux. Pretty cool read.

Well I loved What We Do in the Shadows and I'm waiting forward for the sequel. But I also would've prefer a more straightforward character study. However time will tell if they manage to make it good. You have to aplause every time Hollywood takes risks and thinks outside the box.

For what it's worth, if I recall correctly the recent BBC adaptation spent most of episode two with the Demeter and its slowly-dwindling company.

And indeed, I think that I found that episode to be a particularly effective one.

Edited by ArsThaumaturgis on Mar 1st 2020 at 5:46:09 PM

Rosencratz and Guildenstern are Dead is a comedy. The protagonist dying can be made funny.

Edited by gman1982 on Mar 1st 2020 at 8:40:09 AM

x5 A movie about just that has been in and out of development hell for a very long time now, called The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Amblin just recently announced they were taking a crack at it, with André Øvredal directing. And for what it's worth, I've read an older version of the script, and it was fairly decent.

Blumhouse is producing a Dracula film, directed by Karyn Kusama.

It isn't actually attached to Universal at the moment, but it's quite likely it will be. And I feel like a Dracula film from the same production company as The Invisible Man is relevant enough in this thread anyway.

Of note, Karyn Kasuma directed the then-maligned, now-cult classic horror film Jennifer's Body.

Thinking about it, Jennifer's Body is a vampire film in all but name.

Isn't she a succubus in that, though?

That's why it's a vampire film in all but name.

If it does end up being a Universal movie, I'd like it to go for a more Gothic and Universal-y aesthetic, but I don't see Blumhouse spending that kind of money.

Universal Wants to Do a New Frankenstein with Tom Hardy

I wonder what silly voice he'll do for the role.

As long as they go the classical route instead of making Frankenstein the unintelligent monster that Hollywood has made him into.

I'd prefer a Universal Frankenstein be Universal-y, although definitely more in the vein of original/Bride/Son than the later ones.

Tom Hardy voices aren’t a bug, they’re a feature.

Hardy (and his accent) totally stole The Revenant from Leo.

Universal is apparently working a new Phantom of the Opera set in present day New York.

Doesn't sound so good to me. I was afraid Universal would learn the wrong lessons from The Invisible Man, and they seem to be throwing every random idea at the wall.

Paul Feig Talks Dark Army

Not much in the way of details.

We Got This Covered makes up most of their stories, and no reputable outfit has picked that story up. It's probably fake.

Edited by Prowler on May 24th 2020 at 1:24:09 PM

Well how about this story from Variety:

Ryan Gosling to become Universal's new Wolfman.

I'm imagining those scenes from Only God Forgives where Gosling is staring at his hands, only here they're growing fur.

Also, Karyn Kusama recently spoke a bit about her upcoming Dracula movie. "It's perhaps not the same kind of romantic hero that we've seen in past interpretations" makes it sound particularly promising.

Edited by GrandmasterKiramidHead on Jun 7th 2020 at 1:11:55 PM

Would be cool if we got an adaption of Dracula who harks back to his pure evil beginnings

The idea of Dracula as a romantic figure is definitely overplayed in most modern adaptations. A new take that doesn't do that will feel fresher... and maybe could... treat the heroes as the emotional center of the story?

Something I find really interesting about Dracula is the middle portion of the book being being written entirely from the perspective of people who have never heard of Count Dracula, do not believe in vampires, and definitely aren't attributing their problems to a single antagonistic force... but the separate accounts arranged so that the reader can pretty much see Dracula's actions throughout the story.