Less than a year after the release of DogMan, his first feature after the back-to-back failures of Valerian and Anna and the rape allegations against him that led to the case, Luc Besson is already back on set. With an ambitious project to say the least: reinterpreting the Dracula myth as a love story.
Thus, the story will take place in Belle Époque Paris, where a vampire is attracted to a woman who resembles his late wife Elisabetta, who died in 15th century Transylvania. Which, according to legend, prompted the Romanian Prince Vlad III (the inspiration for the character of Dracula) to brave his death and become the creature we know.
The two women, Elisabetta and Mina, are played by the same actress: Zoe Bleu, who is none other than the daughter of Rosanna Arquette, who appears in front of Luc Besson’s camera in Le Grand Bleu. He will be opposite Caleb Landry Jones, who he directed in DogMan. And right next to the director, the blood-soaked actress poses in the very first photo of the feature film, which revealed Deadline In his report on the shooting.
(Dracula’s armor was designed by Terry English, who had already worked with Luc Besson on Joan of Arc’s armor)
Shooting began in the spring in Finland for winter shots of wagons and horses, and will wrap up in Jura in the coming weeks. Including exteriors shot in Paris (specifically in the courtyard of the Palais Royal) before June 15th and before gaming restrictions come into effect. and filming at Darkmatters studios located in Tigery, Essex.
That’s where Deadline went to discover the 4,000m2 set of Dracula’s castle (ruined chapel, vampire bedroom or banquet hall), as well as Caleb Landry Jones, apparently unrecognizable after four hours of make-up. And talk to the director about this adaptation, set between the mountains of Transylvania and Belle Epoque Paris, which swaps the UK for Bram Stoker’s novel.
“My only wish was to make a movie with him”
In an adaptation born more from Luc Besson’s fascination with Caleb Landry Jones than from the figure of Dracula: “We were talking about other roles that would suit him”Says the father of the fifth element. “I said to him, ‘I’m going to see you as Dracula,’ and then I thought, ‘You know what? I will write for you.” We were really good friends on DogMan and since then all I wanted was to do a movie with him.”
“He’s insanely talented, it’s something I haven’t seen since Gary Oldman . On a human level, he’s a gem, kind, lovable… with no entourage, no agent, no assistant in his paws.”
As its title, Dracula: A Love Tale, clearly suggests, the film will have “A completely romantic approach. There is a romantic side to the novel Bram Stoker which has not been so investigated. It is a love story about a man who waits 400 years for his wife to reincarnate. It is the heart of history that awaits the return of love in eternity.”
Christoph Waltz as a vampire hunter
“I didn’t want to make a classic English film with people drinking tea and saying ‘really.’The director goes on to set the scene in Paris, the dawn of July 14, 1889, and the centenary of the French Revolution. “Paris celebrates, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes as Dracula falls in love and risks capture.”
The vampire-hunting priest was played by Christoph Waltz, who is cast as Van Helsing in the role. Where we will also meet Italian actress Matilda De Angelis, who is expected to star in the transalpine spin-off series Citadel on Prime Video from October 10.
Dracula: A Love Tale isn’t set for release yet, but there’s a good chance it’ll be released in 2025.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
