Dracula Untold was said to be the start of a new shared universe centered on Universal Studios’ classic movie monsters. Given the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is quite understandable why. The 2014 film starred Luke Evans and presented a new origin story for Dracula (Vlad the Impaler). In an effort to build the film into a potential shared universe, re-shot scenes were added to provide some connective tissue and Evans has recently had more to say about a follow-up story.
Given the rumors and announcements concerning upcoming films in the proposed “Cinematic Monster Movie-verse,” it is interesting to learn about possible plans that may aim to include Evans’ Dracula with the upcoming Tom Cruise-led Mummy, The Invisible Man with Johnny Depp, and the rumored Javier Bardem-starring Frankenstein.
During an interview with Evans for the upcoming film The Girl on a Train, LRM asked him about the possibility of seeing more of what began with Dracula Untold. Evans had this to say:
“There have been talks and conversations. I think the bigger picture is exciting for all the monsters that they own. There is talk about it. I just don’t know how it will all manifest itself. I think it will happen and I think they’re just working out how these monsters interact and how they end up in the same realm with each other. If they can stick Captain America in a scene with Iron Man and Thor, I think you can definitely put Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, The Mummy and Dracula in the same film as well.”
Clearly Evans is aware of how much of a goldmine the MCU has been in regard to both box office and critical success. Dracula Untold did not exactly set the world on fire, though. The film received mostly negative reviews (22 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and managed to make $215 million worldwide. Matched against a $70 million budget, that’s not bad, but not quite the calling card for an entire franchise. Perhaps that is why 2017’s upcoming Mummy film is being touted as the real beginning to this monster movie franchise.
While Dracula Untold was no crowning achievement, it should be reasonable to expect future uses of the character that continue to involve Evans. Along with Tom Cruise, the possibility of seeing Depp, Bardem, Angelina Jolie, and Dwayne Johnson in various monster movies and an eventual team-up film is certainly exciting. Adding Evans to the mix may seem a bit like having an odd man out, but the actor was one of the highlights of the film and a solid presence in general.
Of course, perhaps the ship has sailed on Evans’ Dracula. Depending on the various contracts involved and the perception of a general audience, taking that character in a different direction may be what is ultimately called for. Evans is obviously being vague about what knowledge he really has on all of this, but surely more news will come in the near future. Fortunately, Evans is still out there in the world of Fast & Furious and has that franchise to possibly make a return in and have some fun.
Dracula Untold is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD. The Mummy opens in U.S. theaters on March 24, 2017, followed by a currently-untitled Monster Movie on March 20, 2018.
