Chloe Zhao to direct upcoming Dracula movie

[Cicada 5]

A day after her historic Golden Globe nominations for Nomadland (she’s the first Asian woman to be nominated as Best Director in its entire 78-damn-year history), Universal Pictures has announced that Chloé Zhao will helm their upcoming and latest take on Dracula. This news neither bites nor sucks.




Zhao, who of course directed Marvel’s upcoming Eternals, will write, direct, and produce this unique take on everyone’s favorite vampy vampire. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Zhao’s film will be “an original, futuristic, sci-fi Western.” Further details are under wraps (wait, that’s the other one) but we are deeply here for Firefly meets the blood-sucking undead.

Chloé Zhao Will Take on Another Kind of 'Eternal' With Dracula

A day after her historic Golden Globe nominations for Nomadland (she’s the first Asian woman to be nominated as Best Director in its entire 78-damn-year

io9.gizmodo.com

 

[happyninja42]

....futuristic, scifi western.

*thinks*

Gotta admit, I am intrigued. I mean I don't give two shits about vampires or Dracula himself, but I'm curious to see what an asian take on "scifi western" is.

 

[BrawlMan]

So basically, live action Vampire Hunter D. Neat.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I'm sure this new take on Dracula will be succesful and not a complete failure at all.

 

[happyninja42]

I'm sure this new take on Dracula will be succesful and not a complete failure at all.

Eh, ANY take on Dracula, at this point, is going to be cliche and derivative of something else, so frankly, if they want to run with some kind of scifi angle with him, I say go for it. I'll say that is the ONLY reason I am even remotely interested in seeing a fucking vampire film. I mean you say the words "Vampire movie + Dracula" I frontload every lame, overdone, sexually charged, dark emo, "MY SOUL is...*dramatic pause* LOST to the darkness, but YOU! *points at female lead* Lady Virtuous von GoldenSnatch, will...HEAL, my empty SOUL...withyourbloodandmagicalvagina" *woman swoons* "I've felt LOST, oh my PRINCE! I've cried every day in my comfy upper class life, waiting for SOMEONE to take me from my boring life!! You, with your dark clothes and erect...fangs....make my vagina tingle like it never has!! Please! Penetrate me and let us begin the fluid exchange!!" ".......I'm sorry are we talking about sex, or feeding at this point?' "Eh, who knows, I'm going to moan and writhe like I'm having an orgasm when you bite me, so I guess a bit of both?"

Or it's some dark leather, BDSM as vampirism fetish thing, like lots of the old World of Darkness shit, or the various early 2000s films or whatnot. I mean I've seen them, over and over.

So, scifi vampire. I mean, it's at least less played out compared to all the other tropes? *shrugs* My engagement is still quite low, as it's vampires, and that's just WAY down my list of "shit I give a damn about". But, vampires in space? Ok you at least have me somewhat interested movie.

 

[Asita]

...Will we see our young protagonist calling Dracula out to duel by the mech-corral at high noon?

 

[happyninja42]

...Will we see our young protagonist calling Dracula out to duel by the mech-corral at high noon?

Well I am curious, as space travel does bring up some interesting questions. If you're going with a mystical angle for vampirism, is it only OUR sunlight that hurts them, or any light? If they fly to Promixa Centauri and are on a colony there, will sunlight not make them burst into flames? And similar to 30 Days of Night, if they are in a ship, in the depths of space, far away from any star, do they need to sleep? Or are they just free to wander around 24/7 and turn the crew into their own refrigerator of snacks?

 

[BrawlMan]

Eh, ANY take on Dracula, at this point, is going to be cliche and derivative of something else, so frankly, if they want to run with some kind of scifi angle with him, I say go for it. I'll say that is the ONLY reason I am even remotely interested in seeing a fucking vampire film. I mean you say the words "Vampire movie + Dracula" I frontload every lame, overdone, sexually charged, dark emo, "MY SOUL is...*dramatic pause* LOST to the darkness, but YOU! *points at female lead* Lady Virtuous von GoldenSnatch, will...HEAL, my empty SOUL...withyourbloodandmagicalvagina" *woman swoons* "I've felt LOST, oh my PRINCE! I've cried every day in my comfy upper class life, waiting for SOMEONE to take me from my boring life!! You, with your dark clothes and erect...fangs....make my vagina tingle like it never has!! Please! Penetrate me and let us begin the fluid exchange!!" ".......I'm sorry are we talking about sex, or feeding at this point?' "Eh, who knows, I'm going to moan and writhe like I'm having an orgasm when you bite me, so I guess a bit of both?"

Or it's some dark leather, BDSM as vampirism fetish thing, like lots of the old World of Darkness shit, or the various early 2000s films or whatnot. I mean I've seen them, over and over.

So, scifi vampire. I mean, it's at least less played out compared to all the other tropes? *shrugs* My engagement is still quite low, as it's vampires, and that's just WAY down my list of "shit I give a damn about". But, vampires in space? Ok you at least have me somewhat interested movie.

I highly recommend you give Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust a watch. It will definitely tide you over and is a great feeling to watch. The same guy that directed it, directed Ninja Scroll.

 

[deleted20220709]

DELETED

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Remember Darkwatch, fellow middle-aged people?

 

[Dalisclock]

So basically, live action Vampire Hunter D. Neat.

I was getting serious Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust flashbacks when I heard "Scifi-Western" and I approve. I know a lot of people look down on Bloodlust but honestly I still enjoy it a lot more then the first movie.

I mean, it's either that or trying to film Anno Dracula, which I'd also approve of if they did it right. I know Anno Dracula isn't Sci-fi but the idea of a world where Dracula won and took over the British Empire, ruling it as Prince Regent(or whatever the term for Queen Vicky's husband was) and now Vampires live openly alongside their human counterparts is kind of interesting. Which for most of the common folks just means Vamps work the night shift and businesses never close.

 

[BrawlMan]

I was getting serious Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust flashbacks when I heard "Scifi-Western" and I approve. I know a lot of people look down on Bloodlust but honestly I still enjoy it a lot more then the first movie

Who the hell is looking down on Bloodlust? That's the first I've ever heard something like that when it comes to the sequel's reputation. People tend to look down on the first movie last I checked. Especially if you're Bennett the Sage. Must be a very small vocal minority, cuz I rarely heard anyone say anything negative about Bloodlust.

 

[Dalisclock]

Who the hell is looking down on Bloodlust? That's the first I've ever heard something like that when it comes to the sequel's reputation. People tend to look down on the first movie last I checked. Especially if you're Bennett the Sage. Must be a very small vocal minority, cuz I rarely heard anyone say anything negative about Bloodlust.

I've heard a few people dump on it myself, but I couldn't name where. While I appreciate what the first movie is trying to do, the campy production values ruins it pretty hard for me, whereas Bloodlust has some gorgeous art direction(cathedral spacecraft!) and it moves quickly through it's plot points to keep it from getting bogged down. Sure, it's a weird mix of victorian/old west/gothic with occasional hints to the old destroyed world that may not really work but it moves quickly enough not to make you want to dwell on it.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Who the hell is looking down on Bloodlust? That's the first I've ever heard something like that when it comes to the sequel's reputation. People tend to look down on the first movie last I checked. Especially if you're Bennett the Sage. Must be a very small vocal minority, cuz I rarely heard anyone say anything negative about Bloodlust.

*snaps fingers* Right here.

I mean, it looks very nice, but that's about all the positives I'll grant it. In a nutshell it feels like the indulgent, operatic version of Ninja Scroll, set in a universe that doesn't seem to know what the heck it wants to be. Also, none of the characters are likeable apart maybe from damsel who remains unconscious for most of the movie. It's like Redline, where I recognize and am amazed by the immense skill, time, and effort that went into making it, but I don't enjoy the result at all.

 

[Gordon_4]

*snaps fingers* Right here.

I mean, it looks very nice, but that's about all the positives I'll grant it. In a nutshell it feels like the indulgent, operatic version of Ninja Scroll, set in a universe that doesn't seem to know what the heck it wants to be. Also, none of the characters are likeable apart maybe from damsel who remains unconscious for most of the movie. It's like Redline, where I recognize and am amazed by the immense skill, time, and effort that went into making it, but I don't enjoy the result at all.

If you think they’re unlikeable in the movie, you should read the novel and see what they had to cut out. Holy shit.

Anyway, sure, I’ll take a sci-fi western Dracula movie. I won’t even be mad if the writer is a thieving bastard and just files the serial numbers of Vampire Hunter D.

 

[Gordon_4]

Eh, ANY take on Dracula, at this point, is going to be cliche and derivative of something else, so frankly, if they want to run with some kind of scifi angle with him, I say go for it. I'll say that is the ONLY reason I am even remotely interested in seeing a fucking vampire film. I mean you say the words "Vampire movie + Dracula" I frontload every lame, overdone, sexually charged, dark emo, "MY SOUL is...*dramatic pause* LOST to the darkness, but YOU! *points at female lead* Lady Virtuous von GoldenSnatch, will...HEAL, my empty SOUL...withyourbloodandmagicalvagina" *woman swoons* "I've felt LOST, oh my PRINCE! I've cried every day in my comfy upper class life, waiting for SOMEONE to take me from my boring life!! You, with your dark clothes and erect...fangs....make my vagina tingle like it never has!! Please! Penetrate me and let us begin the fluid exchange!!" ".......I'm sorry are we talking about sex, or feeding at this point?' "Eh, who knows, I'm going to moan and writhe like I'm having an orgasm when you bite me, so I guess a bit of both?"

Or it's some dark leather, BDSM as vampirism fetish thing, like lots of the old World of Darkness shit, or the various early 2000s films or whatnot. I mean I've seen them, over and over.

So, scifi vampire. I mean, it's at least less played out compared to all the other tropes? *shrugs* My engagement is still quite low, as it's vampires, and that's just WAY down my list of "shit I give a damn about". But, vampires in space? Ok you at least have me somewhat interested movie.

Assuming you’re talking about Van Helsing’s incarnation of Dracula, here’s something to consider: the actor who played him - Richard Roxburgh - also plays this guy.


Now I’d pay good dosh to have him play Dracula again but exactly the same way he plays Cleaver

 

[happyninja42]

Assuming you’re talking about Van Helsing’s incarnation of Dracula, here’s something to consider: the actor who played him - Richard Roxburgh - also plays this guy.


Now I’d pay good dosh to have him play Dracula again but exactly the same way he plays Cleaver

I was referring to all incarnations of Dracula, not just Van Helsing's. Which, I actually LOVE his take, as it's just SO over the top, that it was almost a parody. My favorite part in that film, is when his 3 brides are weeping over the loss of their babies, and he's just like "pssh, whatevs, we'll make more" and they actually "Have you no heart." and, this man, this glorious man, just loses it and chews EVERY square inch of scenery. and says this


I honestly love a LOT about Van Helsing, and consider it a very underappreciated film, but that man's Dracula, was just divine.

But I mean, Gary Oldman's Dracula was just as hammy and over the top, and most other variations as well. I mean, Dracula, as portrayed in modern pop culture, is almost like, I dunno, drag queen levels of over the top drama and reactions.

It's just a trope of the genre, to have this sultry, sexual (at least in theory) dude be Dracula, because that's what people assume adds up to Dracula. And it bleeds over, no pun intended, into like ALL iterations of vampires, from Buffy to Interview/Vampire Lestat/Queen of the Damned. And countless other variations that we all know about, but that I can't be arsed to try and actually look up. But I mean, it's a cliche for a reason.

Now, if they are going for like, insane, theater performance, Van Helsing level's of hamminess, but, IN SPPAAAAAACEE!....well, frankly I would be totally on board for that shit. It would be like a Mel Brooks film or something. And if going in I know the whole idea is to have fun with it, I'm SO down. But I doubt that's the angle. She's probably going to try and be at least somewhat serious with the material. And with a kernel of an idea like "space western with vampires." I mean, I have no clue if it will work? But, I will admit I am curious about what that will end up looking like. If it's something semi serious but also over the top like The Warrior's Way (another underappreciated film) or Into the Badlands. Like crazy wuxia wire shit and high drama, but trying to be serious on some level, while also embracing the silliness of the premise, I will probably enjoy it. But if she tries to do something like Bram Stoker's Dracula, but just IN SPAAACE! I will probably be disappointed.

But again, at this point, with that incredibly minimal tidbit, I am interested. It perked up my ears, and I took notice. So I'm cautiously...well I won't say optimistic, but, cautiously curious.

 

[McElroy]

I wonder what she was doing between graduating film school (roughly 2005) and her feature debut in 2015? Only a bunch of short films during a whole decade? Seems like it ain't easy to get the breaks.

 

[BrawlMan]

*snaps fingers* Right here.

I mean, it looks very nice, but that's about all the positives I'll grant it. In a nutshell it feels like the indulgent, operatic version of Ninja Scroll, set in a universe that doesn't seem to know what the heck it wants to be. Also, none of the characters are likeable apart maybe from damsel who remains unconscious for most of the movie. It's like Redline, where I recognize and am amazed by the immense skill, time, and effort that went into making it, but I don't enjoy the result at all.

I disagree big time, and you are part of the vocal minority. I lie all the characters and they play their roles real well. While D is your typical brooding, stoic-is-cool/badass, it's not played to an obnoxious, absurd degree, unlike Sasuke Uchia. Whatever moments of sympathy or vulnerability do come from D, makes it all the more powerful and adds something to him. And this would not work with out Lefty, his left hand infected with a parasite who is a comical riot. D plays the straight man to Lefty's sarcasm and smart talk. Their reason why the novels tend to focus more on the characters around D, than D himself. You still see it in Bloodlust, but more is done to balance the characters out. D ain't no Alucard (Both of them. Castlevania Netflix & Hellsing ), Blade, Integra, Seras Victoria, Kagura (who is stripperific Dante), or Saya but I like the guy. I love the dynamic between D, The Marcus Bros, and Leila. Meierlink has the woe is me vampire going on, but surprisingly works and is not insufferable, and I can sympathize with him and Charlotte just fine. It was love story written and done better than Twilight and Vampire Knight. I actually teared up a little. Something rare for anime about vampires can do to me. I recommend you give the film another shot, but I highly doubt you're gonna do that.

Spoiler: Best Clips and Reviews

Redline I enjoy and love the results. I understand what you're talking about, but Redline's flaw barely bother me in the slightest. I find a majority of it ignore-able.

If you think they’re unlikeable in the movie, you should read the novel and see what they had to cut out. Holy shit.

Anyway, sure, I’ll take a sci-fi western Dracula movie. I won’t even be mad if the writer is a thieving bastard and just files the serial numbers of Vampire Hunter D.

You beat me to it, but thank you. It's the third light novel, and the Marcus Bros. do a lot of raping in the original story.

 

[Hawki]

Is this even a Dracula premise? Yes, you can insert vampires into a number of settings and have it work, but the idea of Dracula himself is more specific.