Universal has released the first official trailer for the upcoming film Dracula, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Luc Besson, known for The Fifth Element and Léon: The Professional. The movie, adapted from Bram Stoker’s classic novel, stars Caleb Landry Jones—also known for directing Nitram and Outpost—in the iconic role of Dracula. This version portrays Dracula not as a ruthless vampire, but as a centuries-old man haunted by the spirit of his lost love.
A Curse Born from Grief
The trailer opens with a man asking, “Tell me your story.” Dracula’s voice responds with quiet intensity, “My story? Four hundred years ago, I prayed to a priest to forgive my wife. He didn’t.”
Set in 15th-century Europe, Prince Vladimir, devastated by his wife’s death, renounces God and transforms into an immortal predator. “Tell your God my life belongs to no one,” he declares, marking the start of his eternal curse.
Centuries later in 19th-century London, Vladimir believes he has found his wife reincarnated—or someone identical to her. “This is my salvation,” he insists. But the woman counters, “No. You are her curse.”
Besson’s Romantic Horror Vision
Luc Besson co-wrote the screenplay and describes the film as a deeply romantic take on the vampire legend. “It’s a completely romantic interpretation,” Besson told Deadline. “Bram Stoker’s book has romance too, but it hasn’t been fully explored.”
He elaborated, “It’s about a man who has waited 400 years for his wife’s reincarnation. That’s the true heart of the story: an eternal wait for love’s return.”
While Dracula’s tragic romance has been explored before—most famously in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 adaptation—Besson’s version emphasizes inner yearning over operatic spectacle.
Besson admitted the project arose not from fascination with the Dracula myth but with Caleb Landry Jones himself. “I’m not obsessed with Dracula, but with Caleb,” Besson said. “We talked about roles suited for him, and I said, ‘You’d be great as Dracula.’ Then I thought, ‘Why not just write the script?’”
Cast and Gothic Atmosphere
Jones reunites with Besson following their work on Dogman, leading a cast that includes Zoë Bleu Sidel as Elizabeth (and her 19th-century counterpart Mina), Christoph Waltz as a vampire-hunting priest, and Matilda de Angelis as Mina’s friend Maria. The film, primarily in English, is described as Besson’s most ambitious project since Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
The trailer features somber visuals, evocative landscapes, and operatic tones, showcasing blood-stained halls, flickering candlelit churches, and a man weighed down by centuries of regret.
Release Date
Dracula is set to premiere in French theaters on July 30, 2025. International release dates, including Australia, will be announced soon.
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