Bram Stoker’s gothic horror novel “Dracula,” which was first released in 1897, has been adapted across film and television for decades. From a version portrayed in “Nosferatu” to Bela Lugosi’s iconic performance and Christopher Lee’s chilling take on the character, Dracula has remained a relevant piece of pop culture for more than 100 years. 

So it’s no surprise that Universal was looking to revamp a monstrous line of films based on characters like Dracula but it was actually Robert Kirkman, best known as the creator of “The Walking Dead,” who came up with a unique pitch for a film that would center on his servant R.M. Renfield. 

The story went through numerous changes with different directors attached to the project but eventually Chris McKay came on board following his success with films such as “The Lego Batman Movie” and “The Tomorrow War.” McKay had an idea that would combine comedy, horror and action, which led to him landing the gig and it didn’t take long before casting began. Nicholas Hoult landed the lead role but then McKay had a stroke of genius by suggesting Oscar winner Nicolas Cage for the part of Dracula. 

All it took was a Zoom meeting for Cage to agree to do the role and two weeks later he had a fully realized version of the character that he would portray on screen. The film ultimately plays out like a match made in hell as Renfield desperately tries to break free of a toxic centuries old relationship with Count Dracula…

In the latest episode of Rewind of the Living Dead, we’re going to fuel up on bugs and remember to keep the invitations to ourselves as we review the 2023 horror-comedy “Renfield”…

Music courtesy of Andrew Scott Bell

Music courtesy of Andrew Scott Bell and Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

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