Dracula: Year Zero renamed "Dracula Untold" - coming in October!

[phantomstranger]

Proyas Helming Dracula Year Zero
Source: Variety
July 11, 2007


Alex Proyas will direct Dracula Year Zero, Universal's origins tale about Vlad the Impaler, reports Variety.

The film, being produced by Michael De Luca, is one of several in the works about the Romanian royal who inspired Bram Stoker's vampire tale.

The trade says that Proyas (I, Robot) was attracted to the script by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, enthusing over their "fresh take on the legend."

He said the project manages to play off the horror and the sympathy you have for a character that "sells his soul to the Devil to save his kingdom and family."

The writers, who set up the project a year ago, said the goal was to show Vlad when he was still vital and to explore the fact that he's considered a hero in Romania for fending off the Turks.

"Usually when you see him, he's past his prime and 100 years old," Sazama said.

"In our movie, he's at the height of his powers," Sharpless added.

Dueling Dracula projects set up around town include The Historian, a contemporary book about the search for Vlad the Impaler's grave that Brad Caleb Kane is adapting for Sony's Red Wagon, and Castlevania, an adaptation of the popular video game for which Rogue recently signed up director Sylvain White (Stomp the Yard).

[Shadow]

This sounds good. Will keep a look out for more information.

[The_Return]

Very cool...I've been wanting to see him do a straight horror movie. Both Dark City and The Crow have a great horror feel to them in places; he shoud be able to knock this out of the park.

[_____V_____]

August 06, 2008


Moviehole caught up with Aussie filmmaker Alex Proyas ("Dark City", "Knowing") in San Diego last week, and chatted about his upcoming "Dracula" flick.

Here's a taste :


Proyas: My next movie's gonna be this film called "Dracula Year Zero", which is about the origins of Dracula.

Question: How different will that be from previous Dracula incarnations?

Proyas: Well, it's a medieval epic. So, substantially different, I hope.

Question: Vlad the Impaler's life story?

Proyas: Exactly. Well, it's actually a composite of that, of the origins of the legend, and the Bram Stoker book. You could see it as a prequel to Bram Stoker's novel, in some ways. All the cool bits out of Francis Coppola's "Dracula". You can see it that way as well.

[phantomstranger]

I sure hope it's better than Coppola's "Dracula". I couldn't stand that film

[Vodstok]

I sure hope it's better than Coppola's "Dracula". I couldn't stand that film
one piece of credit i will give coppola for dracula:
before it, i had never heard of Gary Oldman. Ever since, he never escapes my notice, he does accents better than most.

Which brings up an interesting thought. Of the lead males in The Dark Knight, 3 of them arent american, but you would never know it to listen to them.

[_____V_____]

Sam Worthington starred in the most successful film of all time, he's about to Clash with Titans, and now he could be cast as Dracula.

There's no question that Worthington is the man of the moment and, according to Latino Review, he's the first choice to play the fanged-one in Alex Proyas’ Dracula: Year One.

Universal are apparently on the brink of assembling their film slate for 2011, and one of the contenders to be given the green light is Proyas’ film.

Proyas has been talking about directing Dracula: Year One since 2008, and he's described the 15th Century origin story as being a mix of Bram Stoker legend and the history of Dracula's alter-ego Prince Vlad the Impaler. Dracula: Year Zero – which Proyas has been trying to get off the ground for a while now – virtually ignores the Bram Stoker novel and instead, tells the tragic tale of how Vlad the Impaler, the legendary Romanian ruler who made a habit out of impaling his enemies on huge spikes (hence the name) and the figure who inspired a fair chunk of Stoker’s arch-villain, became the baddest bloodsucker of them all.

There is no Van Helsing here. No Mina Murray. No Jonathan Harker. Instead, what there is, if early script reports are to be believed, is an epic love story filled with huge battles and a lead character who gives into evil for noble reasons. Worthington would not be playing a glowering Christopher Lee type, but a tortured and often heroic soul, fighting the growing darkness within.

The script has been written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, who recently wrote the Flash Gordon reboot for Sony. The addition of Worthington as Vlad could be the extra incentive Universal needs to finally say yes.

[phantomstranger]

Sam Worthington takes on 'Dracula Year Zero'
Period vampire epic also incorporates Vlad the Impaler story

By Borys Kit

Jan 26, 2010, 05:00 PM ET
hr/photos/stylus/123469-worthington_sam_341.jpg

Sam Worthington (Getty)
Sam Worthington, making his first deal since the success of "Avatar," is in negotiations to star in "Dracula Year Zero," a period vampire epic Alex Proyas is set to direct for Universal. Michael De Luca is producing.

Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote the spec, which explores the origin of Dracula, weaving vampire mythology with the true history of Prince Vlad the Impaler. It seeks to depict Dracula as a flawed hero in a tragic love story set in a dark age of magic and war.

Universal's Jeff Kirschenbaum is shepherding the project, which has no start date and is still in development. Alissa Phillips is executive producing.

Web site Latino Review first reported Worthington's involvement.

By playing Dracula, Worthington is continuing to take on larger-than-life roles and tentpole projects. While he will be seen in the Helen Mirren thriller "The Debt," his next role is Greek hero Perseus in "Clash of the Titans." Last summer he played a cyborg in "Terminator Salvation."

[The_Return]

Ick.

I actually quite like Worthington based on what I've seen thus far...but Dracula? Awful, awful casting choice.

[novakru]

no contest
a movie with Drac in it?
I'm there, sucks or not
hey I suffered thru dracula 2000 so I am up for anything:D

and Sam would be awesome in anything because so far he has been awesome in everything.
the man is talent.
grade A actor.
he will be the cary grant of our time

[fuglystick]

Alex Proyas is a damn fine director, given the right material. And the Vlad storyline ought to be fantastically gory and brutal--no sparkling emo crap there.

[_____V_____]

Due for release on October 17th, 2014. (Halloween season)

Movie renamed from Dracula: Year Zero to Dracula Untold. (details (http://screenrant.com/dracula-untold-movie-2014-frankenstein-cast-jessica-brown-findlay/))

From Wiki:

In 2007, Director Alex Proyas was hired by Universal Pictures to direct the film Dracula: Year Zero. The film was to be produced by Michael De Luca and filmed in Australia. Later, Universal ended the deals with Proyas and Worthington because of the high budget.
It was then announced on February 10, 2012 by Deadline that Irish director Gary Shore was in talks to direct. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote the script for the new film.
On April 25, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Universal Pictures had announced that the film would be released on August 8, 2014.
On August 29, 2013, Variety reported that Legendary Pictures was considering co-financing the film. Legendary's involvement in production was confirmed in May 2014.

On January 25, 2010, it was announced that Sam Worthington was in negotiations to play Vlad the Impaler, with the film set to release in 2011. Later on August 19, Worthington was confirmed to star in the film. On February 10, 2012, Deadline confirmed that Universal closed the deal with Worthington.
On April 8, 2013, actor Luke Evans joined the cast, replacing Worthington to play the role of Vlad the Impaler, the man who would become the mythological bloodsucker Dracula.
On May 2, 2013, Sarah Gadon joined the cast to star alongside Evans.
On May 8 Variety announced that Dominic Cooper was in talks to join the cast.
On July 11, 2013, Zach McGowan also signed on, to play the role of Shkelgim, a gypsy chief.
On July 26, Samantha Barks joined the cast to play a character from Eastern European folk tales known as Baba Yaga, a beautiful young woman who transforms into a savage witch.
Along with Barks more cast was added, including Charlie Cox, Ferdinand Kingsley, William Houston and Thor Kristjansson; who would play the role of Bright Eyes, an Eastern European taken as a slave as a young boy and now an assassin in the Ottoman Army.
Art Parkinson then joined on to play the role of Ingeras, son of Dracula.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0829150/

[_____V_____]

First trailer : http://cms.springboardplatform.com/embed_iframe/37/video/951411/ro012/ropeofsilicon.com/10/1/