Last updated on February 12th, 2024 at 05:01 am
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
In this modern monster tale of Dracula’s loyal servant, Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men franchise) stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula (Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage). Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.
Universal Pictures distributes theatrically.
Filmed in New Orleans.
Bess Rous plays “Caitlyn, a member of a support group for people in toxic relationships.”
Shohreh Aghdashloo plays “Ella, a bold woman who is one of the most feared crime lords in the city.”
Nicolas Cage had a recent interview where he was asked about the film and his role as Dracula and he replied with the following: “I can tell you that it’s amazing. It’s a really fun and exciting opportunity.” Adding… “I looked at Bela Lugosi’s performance, and then I looked at Frank Langella’s performance. I looked at Gary’s performance in uncle’s movie, which I think it’s just so sumptuous. Every frame is a work of art.” When asked what he could bring to the role, he said: “I want it to pop in a unique way from how we’ve seen it played. So I’m thinking to really focus on the movement of the character. You know, I saw ‘Malignant’ and I thought what she did with those moves — and even ‘Ringu’ with Sadako [Yamamura] … I want to look at what we can explore with this movement and voice.” Lastly he goes on to say: “What makes it super fun is that it’s a comedy. And when you get that tone right — comedy and horror — like ‘American Werewolf in London,’ it’s a blast. It’s got to be a bulls-eye. But that’s what I’m looking for, something new to bring to the character, and also that perfect tone of comedy and horror.”
Ben Schwartz plays a mobster in the film.
Nicolas Cage plays Dracula and marks the actor’s return to a “major studio movie” since 2011’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, Mad Max: Fury Road) plays Renfield.
Directed by Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie, The Tomorrow War).
The film is described as “a modern-day adventure story that is comedic in tone.”
Ryan Ridley (Community, Rick and Morty) scripts based on an original story outline from Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead).
This film is based on the character “Renfield,” whom “originated in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula as a patient in an asylum with an obsession for drinking blood, deluded into thinking he will find immortality. He bows at the feet of Dracula, who, in the very definition of toxic work environments and co-dependent relationships, feeds him insects and rats and dangles everlasting life in front of him.”
Universal Pictures released Renfield in theaters on April 14, 2023.
Universal Pictures released Renfield on PVOD ($24.99) on May 2, 2023.
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released Renfield on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD on June 6, 2023.
Renfield premiered on Peacock on June 9, 2023.
Director: Chris McKay
Rue Morgue: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: “THE WALKING DEAD” CREATOR ROBERT KIRKMAN TALKS HIS NEW TAKE ON DRACULA AND “RENFIELD”
Bloody Disgusting: ‘Renfield’ – 8 Things We Learned from the Blu-ray Commentary Track
FANGORIA: Nicolas Cage Was A Legitimately Great Dracula