Sony Pictures has acquired an untitled new pitch from “Machine Gun Preacher” and “Mirror Mirror” scribe Jason Keller described as a period origin story on the Dracula mythology reports Deadline.
“Snow White and the Huntsman” producers Joe Roth and Palak Patel will produce this film which the studio reportedly hopes will launch a period franchise.
The film joins several other Dracula-themed projects currently in development at the major studios, many with similar ideals of going back to the story of 15th century Romanian prince Vlad III whose bloody battles against the Ottoman Empire’s expansion inspired his nickname (Vlad the Impaler) and the name of the titular vampire in Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel.
Amongst them is Universal’s “Dracula Year Zero” which previously had Sam Worthington attached to star, Warner Brothers’ “Harker” with Russell Crowe linked, and a contemporary apocalyptic-themed film based on the novel trilogy by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan.
Stuck in development hell but still alive are the likes of Summit’s “Vlad” with a script by “Sons of Anarchy” star Charlie Hunnam, and “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” at Phoenix Pictures which has had numerous directors attached. Even recently revived British horror label Hammer Films has suggested they may be looking at a contemporary reboot of their classic 60’s and 70’s films which featured Christopher Lee as the vampire.
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