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The upcoming Blacula reboot from MGM and director Deon Taylor will bring 1970s blaxploitation horror icon Prince Mamuwalde into the 21st century. 1972’s Blacula and the 1973 sequel Scream Blacula Scream were two of the most influential movies of the blaxploitation era of cinema. Despite having a complex history the movies have left an incredible legacy, and 50 years after release are still celebrated as an important milestone in representation (even if they’re less-than-appropriate by modern standards).
MGM and director Deon Taylor are rebooting Blacula, and development on the first movie in fifty years about Prince Mamuwalde has already begun. The third movie in the franchise will be set several decades later than the original and the sequel in a modern city, retelling the story of Blacula as he takes revenge on those profiting from the Slave Trade and its aftermath in the 21st century.
Most Recent Blacula Reboot News
The Blacula Reboot Release Window Is Revealed
The latest news on the upcoming Blacula reboot came on October 24, 2023, when a release window was revealed. Per a report from Variety, the release window of Deon Taylor’s reboot of Blacula has been pegged for Halloween 2024. The news came as part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the original Blacula. No specific date has been set yet, but the movie is only the second major horror franchise so far to land a Halloween 2024 release date, the other being the upcoming sequel Smile 2.
The Blacula Reboot Is Confirmed
MGM And Deon Taylor’s Reboot Of Blacula Is Happening
The Blacula reboot is confirmed, with MGM announcing development on Deon Taylor’s remake in 2021. It was revealed on announcement that the new Blacula movie will take place after the 1972 original and its 1973 sequel Scream Blacula Scream.
Blacula Reboot Release Date
The Blacula Reboot Will Premiere In 2024
MGM’s Blacula reboot release date will arrive around Halloween 2024, though a specific date within this window has yet to be revealed. It’s expected the reboot will have a theatrical release, and it’s unclear where the remake of Blacula will be available to stream.
Blacula Reboot Cast
Who Is Playing The New Blacula?
The cast of the Blacula reboot hasn’t been confirmed or revealed yet. The 1972 original starred the late William Marshall (The Boston Strangler, Demetrius and the Gladiators) as Prince Mamuwalde, the titular Count Blacula. Iconic blaxploitation actress Pam Grier (Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, Mars Attacks!) joined him in the sequel as Lisa Fortier, and of the cast of the original movie and Scream Blacula Scream is the only main member who could plausibly return.
The rest of the cast of Blacula and Scream Blacula Scream have either sadly passed away or long since retired in the five decades since the original. That being said, some cast members like Craig T. Nelson (The Incredibles, Young Sheldon) got their start as extras or in minor roles in the 1970s blaxploitation movies, so could possibly return for the cast of Deon Taylor’s Blacula reboot as an Easter egg.
As the Blacula remake is also set several decades after the original, there likely won’t be many returning characters beyond Prince Mamuwalde. The new Blacula actor hasn’t been revealed yet, and there’s already intense speculation on who Taylor and MGM will choose for the part.
Blacula Reboot Story Details
What Will The Blacula Reboot Be About
There are already some details on what to expect from the story of the upcoming Blacula remake. The third entry in the franchise will take place several decades after Blacula and Scream Blacula Scream. An official early plot synopsis released by MGM reveals the basic premise of Deon Taylor and Micah Ranum’s script:
Blacula is an ancient African prince who is cursed by Dracula after he fails to agree to end the slave trade. Blacula is entombed and awakens 200 years later ready to avenge the death of his ancestors and of those responsible for robbing his people of their work, culture, and heritage as they appropriated it for profit.
It’s already clear that the new Blacula movie will have political undertones and act as a social commentary. This is fitting given the history of the franchise and Blacula’s complex history as what many regard to be the first blaxploitation movie. The blaxploitation subgenre was even considered offensive to Black communities during the 1970s when it arose, yet at the same time was also among the first clear trends in cinema to feature African-American characters as the heroes and center of the stories.
When the Blacula reboot release date arrives in 2024 it will clearly be a deeper movie than appears at first glance. It will also undoubtedly be a celebration of the original Blacula which, despite its complex and at times controversial place in the history of film, was still an astounding box-office success, and was the first recipient of a Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. The specifics of the new Blacula reboot beyond this legacy and the synopsis provided by MGM, however, remains a mystery.
