Nic Cage as Dracula. Just let that thought sink in ….. It seems like the role he was born to play, yet the closest he’s ever got to it was thinking he was turning into a vampire in 1988’s Vampire’s Kiss. But that all changes this week as he unleashes his version of The Prince of Darkness in Renfield.
And, as director Chris McKay reveals in the interview below, it’s a character that Cage had wanted to play for a long time, especially because of his love of Hammer horror films. In this latest vision of Bram Stoker’s classic, the bloodthirsty count and his long-suffering manservant, the Renfield of the title, arrive in present day New Orleans, where Dracula tries to further his plans for world domination with help from some local mobsters. At the same time, Renfield has become a regular at a therapy group, where he pours out his heart about his toxic relationship with the worst boss in the world.
Nicholas Hoult plays the title role and McKay reveals in the interview below that, as soon as he saw both Cage and Hoult in full make up and costume for the camera test, he knew he’d cast the perfect double act and that it would be a “fun movie.” He also talks about Cage’s reaction to the idea of playing Dracula and the copious amounts of fake blood in the film.
McKay made his name as the director of The Lego Batman Movie, but his news about more possible animated antics will be a disappointment to fans …..
Renfield is released in cinemas on Friday, 14 April 2023.
