by Conan Simmons – June 21, 2021 – 7:05 pm
That classic of 70’s cinema blaxploitation is getting a remake for the modern era.
‘Blacula’ is rising back from the grave and returning to the screen with rising talent Deon Taylor directing.
Deon Taylor, who achieved recent success as director-producer of crime film ‘Fatale’ starring two time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, is in active development on the new production featuring the fan fanged-favorite Prince Mamuwalde, a.k.a. Blacula.
The screenplay for the new feature is being penned by Micah Ranum. The producers for the film include Roxanne Avent Taylor along with Deon Taylor, DJ Holloway and Aaron L. Gilbert, who produced the Oscar winning drama ‘Bombshell’.
Produced by MGM there is a chance (fingers crossed) that the film will receive a theatrical release and not go straight to streaming on parent company Amazon’s streaming service.
The original film, ‘Blacula’ centered on Prince Mamuwalde rising from the dead in 1970’s Los Angeles after being bitten by the infamous Count Dracula in the 1700’s in a failed attempt to sway the blood-sucking count into helping end the slave trade.
The 1972 film was made at American International Pictures and directed by William Crain. The screenplay for the box office hit was written by Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig. The film starred William Marshall, who made the role of Blacula the iconic favorite known today, and Vonetta McGee, a popular actress of 70’s cinema who really should be better known.
A sequel appeared in 1973, ‘Scream Blacula, Scream’ which featured added elements of Voodoo as William Marshall’s vampire faced off against Pam Grier as a voodoo priestess. The sequel was directed by Bob Kelljan from a screenplay by Joan Torres, Raymond Koenig and Maurice Jules.
‘Blacula’ isn’t the only horror film director-producer Deon Taylor is remaking.
Before ‘Blacula’ begins filming, Deon Taylor is bringing a remake of hit Vietnamese horror film ‘The Housemaid’ to the screen under the new title of ‘Grave Hill’.
‘Grave Hill’ is expected to transfer the story of Vietnam’s ‘The Housemaid’ from 1950’s Indo-China to the Reconstruction Era of the American South.
The ghost story is being scripted by Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher, who won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on ‘Precious’, and Derek Nguyen, the writer-director of the original ‘The Housemaid’.
‘Grave Hill’ will be a co-production with the Oscar winning company behind 2019’s Best Picture winner, ‘Parasite’. Miky Lee, Jennie Choi and Jerry Ko will executive produce along with Roxanne Avent Taylor and Sean Sorensen. Producers for the film will be Yeonu Choi, Timothy Linh Bui, who produced ‘The Housemaid’, and Don Handfield, who produced the Michael Keaton McDonald’s picture ‘The Founder’.
No cast or filming locations have been announced.