Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage has been cast in the role of a lifetime as Dracula in Universal Pictures’ next monster movie, Renfield. The title chararacter, Dracula’s mad minion Renfield, will be portrayed by Nicholas Hoult (Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast in X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and in X-Men:Dark Phoenix). The tale of Dracula has been told and retold many times on stage, on screen, in comic books since Bram Stoker wrote the classic horror novel Dracula in 1897, but there have not been few versions the tale told from Renfield’s perspective. The film will be set in modern day.

This is not Nicolas Cage’s first vampire movie. In 1988, he played Peter Loew in Vampire’s Kiss. And of course, he’s no stranger to supernatural roles in general, having played Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider (2007) and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011).

Who’s Involved in Renfield and Where Do We know Them From?

The director is Chris McKay, most recently known for such films as The Tomorrow War (2021), The Lego Batman Movie (2017) and The Lego Movie (2014). The screenplay was written by Scott Ridley (producer of 2015’s The Martian), and is based on an original story outline by Robert Kirkman. The producers are Chris McKay, Robert Kirkman, David Alpert (Fear the Walking Dead, Invincible), Bryan Furst (Daybreakers, Dead by Dawn) and Sean Furst (Dead by Dawn).

The executive producer will be Samantha Nisenboim (The Lego Batman Movie), (The Lego Ninjago Movie).

Dracula: Nicolas Cage has appeared in such diverse projects as Fast Times at Ridgemont High(1982), Kick-Ass (2010) National Treasure (2004), Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse )2018), Teen Teen Titans GO! To The Movies (2018), Face/Off (1997). He won an Oscar for the Mike Figgis directed Leaving Las Vegas (1995). This isn’t Cage’s first role wearing vampire’s bicuspids, interestingly enough – he wore them in Vampire’s Kiss, a cult classic released in 1988 in which Cage played a down on his luck literary agent who was convinced he was turning into a vampire.

Renfield: Nicholas Hoult has Geek Cred from X-Men: Days of Future Past )2014), X-Men:Apocalypse )2016), X-Men:Dark Phoenix)(2019), Mad Max: Fury Road (2019), and Warm Bodies (2015).

In an Unannounced Role: Awkwafina, whom we know from Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), and Crazy Rich Asians (2019), Ocean’s Eight (2018).

The film is still too early in preproduction for them to have announced a release date.

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Susan Macdonald
Susan Macdonald

Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress ”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions,  Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.