Will Luke Evans come back for a Dracula Untold 2, and what’s happening with the Dark Universe?
The Dracula Untold movie from 2014 didn’t have the story people were expecting, but that’s why it has many fans now, even though it didn’t make much money in theaters. It became a surprising favorite in modern horror and was supposed to be the start of a huge horror movie universe called Universal’s Dark Universe. Shouldn’t there be a second Dracula Untold movie by now?
Dracula Untold started as a project called Dracula: Year Zero, which was about how the monster came to be. At first, Alex Proyas was going to direct, and Sam Worthington from Avatar would be the main character, but Universal canceled it because it was too expensive. Then, they changed it, and Gary Shore became the director, and Luke Evans played Dracula.
What Is ‘Dracula Untold’ About?
Set in the 15th century, the movie “Dracula Untold” introduces Luke Evans as Vlad Drăculea, the Prince of Wallachia and Transylvania. He was once under the care of the Sultan and served as a soldier in the Ottoman Empire. Vlad is capable of doing terrible things in war, but he’s scared of his own powers and what might happen if he fully embraces his rage. He wants to protect his kingdom, his wife Mirena (played by Sarah Gadon), his children, and the future of Europe.
However, he learns that an Ottoman battalion plans to attack their kingdom, which would lead to their civilization being destroyed. So, Vlad has no choice but to ask the Master Vampire (who turns out to be an ancient Roman soldier named Caligula, driven by greed) to curse him with vampire powers. With his newfound immortality and the ability to turn into a cloud of bats, Vlad defends his kingdom. As Vlad undergoes his transformation into a full-blooded vampire, he takes a darker path when a dying Mirena begs him to drink her blood, sealing his fate.
‘Dracula Untold’ and the Dark Universe
The movie concludes with an ending that hints at the possibility of a sequel set in the modern day. Vlad has successfully protected Europe from the Ottoman Empire’s threat, but he’s believed to be dead after the final showdown. The closing scenes suggest that, due to his vampirism, Vlad has survived and now roams the streets of modern London. The sequel hook emerges when it’s revealed that the Master Vampire has also survived and seems to be tracking him.
While “Dracula Untold” earned approximately $217.1 million at the box office, it had a production cost of $70 million and received harsh criticism from reviewers. The final scene was added during reshoots to potentially set the stage for a new cinematic universe. However, Universal later rebranded their rebooted “The Mummy” as the first entry of the “Dark Universe.”
The writer/director of “The Mummy,” Alex Kurtzman, later confirmed that “Dracula Untold” was not considered part of the “Dark Universe” canon. Instead, “The Mummy” was actively promoted as the official start of this cinematic universe. However, the “Dark Universe” serves as a lesson about planning too far ahead. Following the disappointing box office performance and negative reviews of “The Mummy,” Universal decided to cancel all plans for a connected universe. This cancellation included projects like Bill Condon’s remake of “The Bride of Frankenstein” with Javier Bardem and Angelina Jolie, a reimagining of “The Invisible Man” featuring Johnny Depp, and the future of Russell Crowe’s Dr. Jekyll. Universal shifted its focus towards the Blumhouse model, which led to the critically acclaimed reboot of “The Invisible Man” in 2020. Additionally, Universal decided to approach the Dracula series in a more creative manner with the Nicolas Cage comedy project titled “Renfield.”
Dracula Untold 2 Release Date
After eight years, Universal Studios has not made any official announcement regarding a sequel to “Dracula Untold.” The prospect of a sequel for this movie appears doubtful. Initially, Universal Studios had plans to use iconic literary creatures like Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Dracula to build a shared cinematic universe known as the Dark Universe, with “Dracula Untold” intended as the first installment. However, their plans evolved once again when Alex Kurtzman and Tom Cruise became involved in “The Mummy.” This shift in direction suggests that the sequel to “Dracula Untold” may have been canceled.
Don’t get too upset. Universal Studios often changes their ideas. So, there’s still a chance that “Dracula Untold 2” could be part of the Dark Universe.
