Dracula Untold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dracula Untold |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Gary Shore |
| Produced by | Michael De Luca |
| Screenplay by | Matt Sazama Burk Sharpless |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Ramin Djawadi |
| Cinematography | John Schwartzman |
| Editing by | Richard Pearson |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | October 10, 2014 |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $70–100 million |
| Money made | $217.1 million |
Dracula Untold is an action-adventure film released in 2014. It was directed by Gary Shore, marking his first feature film. The story was written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. This movie tells an origin story for the famous character Count Dracula. Instead of following the classic tale by Bram Stoker, it shows how the historical figure Vlad III "the Impaler" Dracula became a powerful, transformed being. He does this to protect his family and kingdom from the Ottoman Empire's Sultan Mehmed II.
Luke Evans plays the main character, Vlad. Other important actors include Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Art Parkinson, and Charles Dance. The filming for Dracula Untold began in Northern Ireland on August 5, 2013. Universal Pictures released the film in cinemas on October 10, 2014. The movie earned $217 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics.
Contents
Meet the Characters
- Luke Evans plays Vlad III "the Impaler" Dracula / Dracula: He is a prince and a war hero. He becomes a powerful vampire to protect his family and kingdom.
- Dominic Cooper plays Sultan Mehmed II: The leader of the Ottoman Empire and Vlad's enemy.
- Sarah Gadon plays Mirena: Vlad's wife. She also appears as Mina in the modern-day ending.
- Art Parkinson plays Ingeras: Vlad and Mirena's son.
- Charles Dance plays the Master Vampire: The ancient creature who gives Vlad his powers.
- William Houston plays Cazan: Vlad's trusted advisor.
- Diarmaid Murtagh plays Dumitru: One of Vlad's loyal men.
- Noah Huntley plays Captain Petru: Another of Vlad's men.
- Paul Kaye plays Brother Lucian: A wise monk who helps Vlad.
- Zach McGowan plays Shkelgim: A mysterious Romani character.
- Ferdinand Kingsley plays Hamza Bey: One of Mehmed's generals.
- Joseph Long plays Turahanoğlu Ömer Bey: Another of Mehmed's generals.
- Thor Kristjansson plays Bright Eyes: An assassin in the Ottoman Army.
- Dilan Gwyn plays Ingeras's governess.
Making the Movie
How the Film Was Developed
The idea for Dracula Untold started many years before it was made. In 2007, director Alex Proyas was first chosen to direct a film called Dracula: Year Zero. However, the project was too expensive, and plans changed. In 2012, Gary Shore became the director. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote the script for this new version. The movie was originally planned for release on August 8, 2014, but it was later moved to October 10, 2014. Legendary Pictures helped to fund the film.
Choosing the Actors
In 2010, actor Sam Worthington was considered for the role of Vlad. But when the director changed, Luke Evans was chosen in 2013 to play Vlad, the man who would become Dracula. Other actors who joined the cast in 2013 included Sarah Gadon and Dominic Cooper. Zach McGowan was cast as Shkelgim, a Romani chief. Some actors, like Samantha Barks (who was to play Baba Yaga) and Charlie Cox (who was to play Caligula), had their scenes cut from the final movie. Art Parkinson joined to play Ingeras, Dracula's son.
Filming Locations and Training
The filming for Dracula Untold took place in Northern Ireland from August to November 2013. It started on August 5 in Roe Valley Country Park. Other locations across Northern Ireland were also used.
During filming, Luke Evans trained every day after work. He practiced with stuntmen and followed a strict diet to prepare for his role.
The Movie's Music
Ramin Djawadi composed the music for Dracula Untold. His score was released on CD on October 7, 2014. Djawadi was chosen because of his previous work on films like Iron Man and TV shows like Game of Thrones. The movie's official trailer featured Lorde's cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World".
Release and Legacy
When the Movie Came Out
Dracula Untold was first planned for release on August 8, 2014. However, its release was moved to October 10, 2014. The film was shown in many different formats, including IMAX, and opened in over 25 countries on its first weekend.
Home Entertainment
The movie became available on DVD and Blu-ray on February 3, 2015. The Blu-ray version included extra features like an alternate opening and deleted scenes. A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version was released on September 12, 2017.
The Movie's Place in Film History
Before the film's release, there were talks about Dracula Untold being the start of a new shared movie universe for Universal Pictures. However, after the movie came out, these plans changed. The 2017 film The Mummy was later presented as the first movie in that planned universe instead. By 2019, Universal decided to focus on making standalone monster movies rather than a connected series.
See also
- List of vampire films
- Vlad the Impaler
