The upcoming horror remake Abigail teases the possible appearance of the descendant of the iconic professor and vampire hunter Van Helsing, who appeared in both the original Dracula and this film’s inspiration, Dracula’s Daughter. Abigail tells the story of a group of kidnappers who capture the titular character to ransom her for $50 million to her wealthy father. However, as the night goes on, Abigail reveals her vampiric nature and the battle for survival begins.
The film is a remake of the 1936 Universal horror film Dracula’s Daughter. Similar to the 2024 film, Dracula’s Daughter chronicles the inner struggle of Countess Mary Zeleska who is afflicted with vampirism by Dracula, which makes her his “daughter”. She tries to battle her newfound thirst for blood through therapy but, like Abigail, her bestial side wins out. This leaves those caught in the crossfire, including Van Helsing, to face off against yet another classic vampire.
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Abigail’s Inspiration Means Van Helsing Can Appear In The 2024 Horror Movie
A new Van Helsing appearing in the film is likely due to Abigail’s connection to this classic Universal vampire movie. Van Helsing is as iconic as the vampire he hunts, as one of the first monster hunters in the Gothic genre. Though he spends most of his time chatting with the police in Dracula’s Daughter, his presence keeps that connection to the original film intact. It also allows Van Helsing to move beyond the Dracula movies as he is released at the end of the film, potentially allowing his legacy to continue.
By having a new Van Helsing appear in Abigail, the film can further pay homage to its roots in the Universal classic monsters franchise while also increasing the stakes. With a Van Helsing thrown into the mix, Abigail would have to face off against someone who knows her tricks, forcing her to improvise. This could lead to some creatively violent moments as well as allow the film to add new vampire lore for the protagonists to contend with, as Abigail is a second-generation vampire and a child, which may give her advantages the original Dracula did not have.
Who Could Be Playing The Van Helsing Character In Abigail
Several of the established characters in the Abigail trailer could secretly be the Van Helsing of the film, either due to internal clues or external connections. Melissa Barerra could play this role in Abigail as her character in Scream 7 was also accosted by a killer force and was similarly equipped to handle it, making Barerra a strong contender for Van Helsing to continue the trend. Katheryn Newton’s character could also be the new Van Helsing due to her knowledge of pop culture vampires. Though framed as comedic, Newton’s character could be using that flippancy as a distraction.
Another contender could be Matthew Goode, as his character is currently unnamed. Though Goode does not appear definitively in the trailer, he could arrive later as Van Helsing in the film to assist the kidnappers in defeating Abigail. Alongside this, Goode’s casting as the new Van Helsing would be ironic due to his role as the vampire Matthew de Clairmont in the series A Discovery of Witches. There is, lastly, a possibility that the new Van Helsing could be a character not shown in the trailer, leaving a surprise for Abigail’s audiences.
