ROTTEN TOMATOES: Universal Plans "Dracula" Origin Story

Universal Plans "Dracula" Origin Story

by Scott Weinberg | July 11, 2006

Newcomer screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless have sold a Dracula-oriented screenplay to Universal, but this one seems to promise something new: The bloodsucker's full backstory.

According to Variety, "Story explores the origin of Dracula, weaving vampire mythology with the true history of Prince Vlad the Impaler, depicting Dracula as a flawed hero in a tragic love story set in a dark age of magic and war."

Universal is, of course, the original cinematic home of Dracula. The 1931 classic, based on the novel by Bram Stoker, was produced there about 80 years ago.

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(1-15 of 15 posts) | Reply

britt514 writes:
on Jul 11 2006 08:42 AM

So Basically the extended version of the backstory given in Bram Stoker's Dracula by Coppola. Sounds like the same story he depicted in the beginning of that movie.

(Reply to this)

Now it's dark writes:
on Jul 11 2006 08:58 AM

Why not do a true story of Vlad the Impaler w/o all the vampire stuff?

(Reply to this)

PatrickBateman writes:
on Jul 11 2006 09:23 AM

In reply to this comment (#839957)
i think that's been done already.

(Reply to this)

Crispy1 writes:
on Jul 11 2006 10:03 AM

A saw a movie like this on the Sci-Fi channel

(Reply to this)

Now it's dark writes:
on Jul 11 2006 10:29 AM

In reply to this comment (#839958)
I'd like to see that. Don't suppose you know the title? Hope it's not made for A&E or History channel.

(Reply to this)

taran72 writes:
on Jul 11 2006 10:31 AM

In reply to this comment (#839959)
I saw that movie too.

(Reply to this)

Circe Prankster writes:
on Jul 11 2006 10:53 AM

I think the original cinematic home of the Dracula story is Germany. The 1922 silent film "Nosferatu" by F.W. Murnau was based on Stoker's novel and made in Germany. It was also, according to imdb, banned in Finland.

Let's hope the new Dracula film is equally ban-worthy.

(Reply to this)

SpikesInMySkull writes:
on Jul 11 2006 12:20 PM

In reply to this comment (#839960)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240793/

Never saw it myself, so I don't know if it's any good or not, I've heard that it was.

Actually, I had the idea that a "Dracula" fictionlized vampire origin story might be cool some time ago, something that ties the history to the fiction could be cool... I was thinking like, he cuts some deal with a vampire cult to gain the power to fight of the invaders, bu ends up becoming more and more of a monster, ends up killing all the people cares about, goes nuts, swears revenge, kills all of the original vampires, which only makes him more insane and more monsterous...

Then I came to my sences and relized this was a horrible idea... and I'm not a filmaker...

(Reply to this)

Now it's dark writes:
on Jul 11 2006 01:15 PM

In reply to this comment (#839963)
[b]Thanks[/b]
I saw that on the shelf at the video store. If I'd known it was about the real prince I'd have rented it, but the picture has him with fangs, so I thought it was just another Dracula story. Then again, Roger Daltrey's in this, so I might not be in such a rush anyway.

(Reply to this)

Aeneas&theBloodyOracle writes:
on Jul 11 2006 01:49 PM

In reply to this comment (#839964)
[b]Who?[/b]
Roger Daltry rocks; are you mistaken? So does Prince. I smell a re-mix.
Glenn Danzig can play the Tragic Hero Vlad. Score by Isis, art direction by Pus-Head (is he still around? anyone anyone?)

(Reply to this)

synergyred writes:
on Jul 11 2006 03:03 PM

Damn. As someone who's a HUGE fan of the Dracula novel, this scares crap out of me. This COULD be good but also oh so bad.

(Reply to this)

warsaw writes:
on Jul 11 2006 08:57 PM

In reply to this comment (#839962)
loved that movie

(Reply to this)

stopsaenz writes:
on Jul 11 2006 11:43 PM

as long as steven sommers stays the f**k away, im down to see this.

(Reply to this)

Muddler writes:
on Jul 12 2006 04:10 PM

Just another wonderful retread. God, why can't Hollywood find an original idea?

Not only has Drac been beaten to death in general, so has even his back story. When even a "new" movie is based upon the imaginary sub-portions of a fictional character's life and that movie is STILL a re-imagining or remake, it is time to MOVE ON.

Watch, in two years it'll be Snakes on a Train...directed by Michael Bay, starring Ben Affleck.

(Reply to this)

Potatometer writes:
on Jul 13 2006 07:10 AM

In reply to this comment (#839969)
Snakes On A Train remake? I loved the original. Much better than Snakes On A Plane.

http://www.theasylum.cc/cgi-bin/showMovie.cgi?id=120

(Reply to this)

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