MOVIE NEWS – Nicolas Cage will play Count Dracula in Renfield alongside Nicholas Hoult as the title henchman.

Just when you think you’ve seen Nicolas Cage play every character there is, you realise he’s been cast as Dracula! The veteran actor has signed on to bring the iconic vampire to life in Renfield, a new film in development at Universal Pictures, starring Nicholas Hoult as the Count’s henchman. The film will be directed by Chris McKay (The Tomorrow War) from a script by Ryan Ridley (Rick and Morty), based on a story by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead).

Renfield billed as a comedy, is intended to be a modern adventure novel based primarily on the character created by Bram Stoker in the original Dracula novel published in 1897. In this version, he is a patient in a mental hospital who believes that eating any living thing alive will transfer its life force to him. Dracula uses this delusion to force Renfield to do his bidding. Renfield has typically been seen as the clumsy, dim-witted sidekick of the evil vampire – even if his character may be given some depth this time.

In any case, Nicholas Hoult, who plays the character in the new Renfield film, is known for playing complex, multi-faceted characters: just think of About a Boy, Mad Max: Fury Road, or the passion with which he played Professor J.R.R. Tolkien in Tolkien.

In Hollywood, it’s almost a joke that Nicolas Cage can’t refuse a role, resulting in some of the most outlandish characters the actor has ever played. This casting of Renfield’s Dracula is another exciting choice that immediately stands out, but considering it’s more comedy than horror, it really does seem perfect for the role. Cage also has some vampire movie experience as he played a man who thinks he’s turning into a vampire in 1989’s Vampire’s Kiss – one of his craziest and funniest performances to date.

The release date for Renfield has not yet been officially announced.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter