After the complete and utter failure of the Dark Universe several years ago, it appears that Universal has made a complete 180-degree shift and decided to just let filmmakers take the studios Monster characters and do whatever they want. We saw that already with Blumhouse’s take on “The Invisible Man” from last year. We’re already seeing it happen again with a new “Wolfman” with Ryan Gosling and a new “Dracula” sci-fi reimagining from Chloe Zhao. And now, we actually have progress on yet another crazy take on a classic franchise, as Chris McKay takes the reins on “Renfield.”
According to Deadline, director Chris McKay has taken the gig of helming “Renfield” for Universal. Spawned from a story outline from ‘Walking Dead’ creator Robert Kirkman, “Renfield” is said to be a modern reimagining of the title character that has been a fixture in the “Dracula” films and novels. The film is inspired by the story of a man serving time in an asylum that is actually the servant of the infamous vampire. Again, not much else is known about the film other than it’s a modern take on the classic tale.
McKay is probably best known as the director of “The LEGO Batman Movie,” which doesn’t really speak towards his bonafides as a horror filmmaker. However, his upcoming film, “The Tomorrow War,” is an action film set in the future, so it’s clear McKay isn’t just an animated kid’s film sort of guy. Plus, the report claims Universal was looking for someone to combine action and humor in “Renfield,” so perhaps McKay is perfectly suited to take on the film.
Previously, Dexter Fletcher was attached to direct “Renfield.” However, it appears that the filmmaker’s schedule got too busy with his remake of “The Saint,” so Universal had to start a search for another director to take over. It’s unclear when “Renfield” will begin production or when it might hit theaters.