Originally announced in 2021, a new take on 1972’s Blacula is on the way from MGM, Bron and Hidden Empire Film Group, with Deon Taylor (The Intruder) on board to direct.
In a new piece on Variety today, reporting on a 50th anniversary screening of the original classic taking place at the Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills on October 24, the site notes that the upcoming Blacula reboot movie is “slated for release next Halloween.”
Variety details, “The new film is a modern reimagining of the 1972 movie, directed by William Crain and starring William Marshall as Blacula.
“The reboot picks up where the original saga left off, after the 1973 sequel Scream Blacula Scream, and will be set in a metropolitan city post-coronavirus pandemic.”
Here’s the full logline for next year’s movie: “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.”
Deon Taylor is also co-writing the script with Micah Ranum.
“Blacula is arguably one of the most prestigious Black franchises and so important to the culture as it birthed a groundswell of Blaxploitation-horror films, which changed the game for how our people were seen on the big screen,” Taylor said in a statement to Variety.
Blacula was followed by Scream Blacula Scream in 1973, the only sequel it spawned. Bob Kelljan sat in the director’s chair for the sequel, with William Marshall reprising the title role.
