Actor Nicholas Hoult will star in Dracula prequel film Renfield

R.M. Renfield has been found in Nicholas Hoult! The Dracula prequel film in development at Universal is off to a positive start!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hoult has signed on to star in Renfield with Chris McKay at the helm and a story by The Walking Dead‘s Robert Kirkman. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the film’s plot at present, but there is one particular role that may reveal the tone of the film.

Ryan Ridley, who is known for his work on FOX’s Ghosted and the animated series Ricky & Morty, is attached to pen the script. A comedy writer adapting a horror creator’s work? That’s going to be very interesting to see. Will this be a lot more comedic? With…comedy gore? Is that a thing?

Nicholas Hoult is Renfield in the upcoming monster movie film

As for the character of R. M. Renfield, he was first introduced in the 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula by author Bram Stoker. When we meet him for the first time, he is a patient in an insane asylum, surviving on rats and bugs for their blood. Renfield is convinced that Dracula will give him immortality and is completely devoted to him.

At the end of the novel, Dracula ends up killing Renfield, so we know that this film will likely be a prequel rather than set during the events of the original classic story. (Then again with a comedy writer, who knows!) In the 1931 Universal adaptation of the novel, Renfield was the predecessor to Jonathan Harker, the solicitor who ends up defeating the vampire.

If, however, the film is set during the events of the novel, we’re going to be seeing a whole lot of bugs being eaten. Honestly? I don’t think anyone wants to sit through 2 hours of that. In any case, we’re looking forward to seeing Hoult take on the role!

What do you think of the casting? What kind of film do you think it’ll be like? Let us know in the comments below!