Future Dracula, Nicolas Cage, has confirmed that his performance in the upcoming Renfield will be inspired by supernatural horror films, Malignant (2021) and Ringu (1998). Back in November, Universal Studios announced that Cage will be donning Dracula's cape, with Nicholas Hoult claiming the title role of the vampire's twisted associate, R.M Renfield. Directed by Chris McKay and with a script by Ryan Ridley, Renfield is set to be the latest installment in Universal's Dark Universe franchise, a modern reboot of their original horror classics set within a shared Marvel-esque universe, and follows on from The Mummy (2017) and The Invisible Man (2020)

However, Renfield's development has not always been so assured. After the less-than-ideal financial and critical response to The Mummy, Universal seemingly abandoned the Dark Universe franchise altogether after just one film. But after Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man proved to be a remarkably more successful reboot, the production company pulled a complete Frankenstein and resurrected the cinematic universe with Renfield billed as next on the list. Thanks to this revival of interest, a cast has slowly been growing over the last few weeks, with Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz also having been announced in currently-undisclosed roles.

Related: Nic Cage's Dracula Can Outdo His Vampire Method Acting

Speaking on Variety's Award Circuit Podcast, Cage talked at length about the upcoming film. He discussed the various portrayals of Dracula that have been part of his research into the role, from Bela Lugosi to Frank Langella and Gary Oldman. However, he then moved away from the topic of Draculas-past to focus more on how his approach to the role will take its main inspirations from less obvious sources to create a more original take on the character. Read his quote below:

What can I bring that will be different...and I'm thinking to focus really on the movement...You know, I saw ‘Malignant’ and I thought what she did with those moves — and even ‘Ringu’ with Sadako [Yamamura] … I want to look at what we can explore with his movement and voice.

Nicolas Cage Dracula

Since its announcement, there has been extensive speculation on what precisely Cage will bring to the role of the famed fanged fiend, especially given his penchant for campy, over-the-top performances. Now that he's opened up about how he is planning to approach arguably the most famous horror character of all time, eager audiences can start to visualize a vague sense of what to expect from the Academy Award-winner. Based on his clear fascination with the freaky contortionist movements that are overwhelmingly present in both Malignant and Ringu, it may not be stretching it too far to assume that Cage is looking to create one of the most gymnastic Draculas ever seen on the big screen. And while Universal hasn't been very open in providing much more about Renfield's plot or where it fits in the wider Dark Universe, fans can at least, for now, be satisfied that they have had a brief glimpse into Cage's mind and can better imagine what may be in store for the 124-year-old character.

Cage's enthusiasm for the role is certainly palpable, and given that Renfield is an extremely violent comedy, he definitely appears to be an ideal fit for this kind of interpretation, which is likely to benefit well from his typical, larger-than-life characterizations. However, whether Renfield's risk-taking approach to Bram Stoker's most-famous novel proves to be well-founded or not, it can almost unquestionably be relied upon that Cage will provide cinema with one of the most memorable and unconventional portrayals of Dracula that it has ever seen.

More: Dracula Is The Monster Role Nicolas Cage Was Born To Play

Source: Variety

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