Early this year when it was reported that Leigh Whannell would direct The Invisible Man, it was also revealed that unique takes on other Universal Monsters were also being pitched. Since that time, it's been announced that Paul Feig will direct Dark Army for Universal, and now it's being reported that Dexter Fletcher will direct a movie about Dracula's servant for Universal.
Variety reports that Fletcher will helm Renfield, a movie about the character of the same name from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Fletcher will direct from a screenplay by Ryan Ridley (Rick and Morty), based on a pitch by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Outcast).
Kirkman will produce the film alongside Skybound Entertainment’s David Alpert, Bryan Furst, and Sean Furst. Variety reveals that Renfield is expected to be set in modern times, with other plot details and a release date yet to be revealed.
In Stoker's classic 1897 novel, R.M. Renfield is a patient of psychiatrist and vampire hunter Dr. John Seward, and a resident of his asylum. Always on the lookout to consume the "life force" of others, Renfield eats insects and spiders, becoming a servant to Count Dracula after falling under his malevolent influence.
The character of Renfield has been brought to life by a wide range of actors over the years, including Dwight Frye (pictured above, center) in 1931's Dracula and Tom Waits in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates on Renfield, The Invisible Man, Dark Army, and other upcoming Universal projects!
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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