B movie legend and underlooked character actor Rutger Hauer will play the prince of darkness in Dario Argento's Dracula 3D. The film is to be a "more faithful adaptation" of Bram Stokers work and will use it as the scripts basis. Quite why this needs to be in 3D is beyond me. I am pro 3D but to sell this film as Dracula 3D seems like an early cash in.
Hauer has been tied to this for over a year but it's now confirmed and he said in a recent interview in London that he is very excited about the project and working with Argento (who will write and direct the film)
Here is a brief, quoted synopsis of the original book for the uninitiated.
“Acting on behalf of his firm of solicitors, Jonathan Harker travels to the Carpathian Mountains to finalize the sale of England’s Carfax Abbey to Transylvanian noble Count Dracula. Little does he realize that, in doing so, he endangers all that he loves. For Dracula is one of the “Undead” – a centuries-old vampire who sleeps by day and stalks by night, feasting on the blood of his helpless victims. Once on English soil, the count sets his sights on Jonathan’s circle of associates, among them his beloved wife Mina. To thwart Dracula’s evil designs, Jonathan and his friends will have to accept as truth the most preposterous superstitions concerning vampires, and in the company of legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, embark on an unholy adventure for which even their worst nightmares have not prepared them.”
This could be good. It only has a ten million dollar budget but that might work in it's favour. But I am already thinking back to the stellar Gary Oldman, Francis Ford Copolla version. It will be a hard act to top, or even equal.