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The reliable folks at Latino Review are reporting that Universal is looking to make a new Dracula film as a Summer 2011 event movie (and as part of their efforts to rebuild the Universal Monsters brand name). Who will wear the fangs after such iconic actors as Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Frank Langella, and Gary Oldman? Avatar star Sam Worthington.
It’s like Dominic Purcell all over again (he played almost-Dracula “Drake” in Blade Trinity). What qualities does Sam Worthington bring to the table that make him a suitable Dracula? His muscles? His extended green-screen acting experience? This choice just feels wrong, on about every level imaginable.
The project, Dracula: Year Zero, is a period tale that recounts the origin of the Count, and has been in the works for a while now. Word hit in 2006, Alex Proyas signed on to direct in 2007, and he was sharing details about his vision in 2008. Now, sources say that the big budget film will be directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend), which is as good a choice as any for turning Dracula into a Summer movie spectacle.