Nicolas Cage as Dracula in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Leave it up to Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage to really sink his teeth into the role of Dracula in Chris McKay’s ‘Renfield.’ In the dark comedy, things get bloody when Dracula’s lifelong assistant and familiar Renfield is tasked with finding food for his master.
The official synopsis for ‘Renfield’ is below:
“In this modern monster tale of Dracula’s loyal servant, Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula (Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage). Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.”
The cast of ‘Renfield’ includes Nicolas Cage (‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’), Nicholas Hoult (‘The Menu’), Awkwafina (‘The Little Mermaid’), Ben Schwartz (‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’), Brandon Scott Jones (‘Isn’t It Romantic’), Adrian Martinez (‘Measure of Revenge’), and Shohreh Aghdashloo (‘Run Sweetheart Run’).
‘Renfield’ premiered at the Overlook Film Festival on March 20, 2023. The film opened in theaters domestically on April 17, 2023.
Nicolas Cage Is The Main Attraction
Nicolas Cage as Dracula in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
There was no better choice than Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage. No stranger to creating unique characters on-screening, his portrayal of Dracula is bigger-than-life, overly dramatic, and perfect in every way. Even though the film is told through the lens of Renfield, Cage’s performance of Dracula steals every scene. Cage channeled Bela Lugosi and Elvis Presley as his inspiration for the iconic vampire, and it worked fantastically.
A Classic Tale With A Twist
(L to R) Nicholas Hoult and Joseph Mikel in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
The character of Renfield has long existed in Dracula’s history before Chris McKay’s iteration. Early films like 1922’s ‘Nosferatu’ and 1931’s ‘Dracula’ have included the character, as well as TV shows such as ‘Young Dracula.’
In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Renfield is described as a deranged and fanatic servant and familiar to Dracula. He was an inmate at the lunatic asylum overseen by Dr. John Seward. Renfield suffers from delusions that compel him to consume living creatures in hopes of obtaining their life force. Later on, Dracula would send him insects to consume.
In McKay’s movie, we see the story from Renfield’s perspective, who is still a servant and familiar to Dracula, but seeking ways to escape the toxic and co-dependent relationship with his narcissistic boss. His relationship with Rebecca (Awkwafina) adds to his motivation to be freed from Dracula’s grasp. Nicholas Hoult’s performance as Renfield carries the heart of the film, paired with exciting action sequences, which he performs effortlessly.
As an R-rated film, the horror-comedy includes exaggerated gore and violence, such as severed limbs and peeling faces.
(L to R) Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Where Can I Watch ‘Renfield’?
The film was released theatrically in the United States on April 17th, 2023. While the movie is already available to rent on digital, some theaters are still showing the film, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Renfield’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Buy Tickets: ‘Renfield’ Showtimes
Watch the official trailers for ‘Renfield’ below:
You now have the option to purchase ‘Renfield’ on VOD. Services such as Amazon Prime Video, Direct TV, Google Play, Vudu, Microsoft, YouTube, AppleTV, and Redbox allow you to own the movie digitally for $19.99.
Additionally, Peacock subscribers can stream ‘Renfield’ as of June 8, 2023.
Where To Watch: ‘Renfield’ Online
DVD and Blu-Ray became available on June 6th, 2023, and will include exclusive bonus features such as:
- Hilarious deleted and extended scenes
- Alternate takes
- Dracula Uncaged – Go inside the mind of a vampire as Dracula himself, Nicolas Cage, reveals the secrets behind turning a classic character into a memorable monster.
- Monsters & Men: Behind the Scenes of ‘Renfield’ – An in-depth look at ‘Renfield’s cast, sets, costumes and more as the actors and filmmakers reveal how they modernized a famous terror tale with trailblazing comedy and over-the-top action.
- Stage of Rejuvenation – See how special makeup effects bring the undead to life throughout the four stages of Dracula’s incredible transformation.
- Flesh & Blood – Exploding heads. Peeling faces, Severed limbs. They’re all part of the macabre movie magic that fuels ‘Renfield’ with inventive action and hilarious horror.
- Fighting Dirty – Stunt coordinator Christopher Brewster leads a look at the training, choreography, and careful execution that goes into the film’s spectacular stunts and fight scenes.
- The Making of a Deleted Scene: Renfield’s Dance – Nicholas Hoult and choreographer Kathyrn Burns pull back the curtain on constructing an elaborate musical number for a fantasy dance sequence.
- Feature commentary with producer Samantha Nisenboim, Screenwriter Ryan Ridley, and crew.
Buy ‘Renfield’ on Amazon
(L to R) Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula, and Nicholas Hoult as Renfield in director Chris McKay’s ‘Renfield.’
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