So It Looks Like We’re Getting A Castlevania Movie….

It would seem everybody’s favorite vampire-slaying-themed series is coming to the silver screen soon if recent sources are to be believed. According to a recent interview on startrek.com with Michael Dorn (best known for his role as Lt. Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation), the movie is already well underway and he’s playing the part of a venerable werewolf:

“It's a fun little part. It's four days and I'm playing a werewolf that's been around for a gajillion years who works for this vampire. It's not too far from Worf because there's a lot of killing and jumping and sword fights and everything.”  

Oddly enough, this actually isn’t the first time a Castlevania movie has been set for release. According to the official Castlevania Wiki page, this latest movie starring Michael Dorn is actually the third such attempt at getting a Castlevania film off the ground. The first attempt was way back in 2006 when, shortly after acquiring the rights to a Castlevania-based movie, film company Crystal Sky Pictures hired Paul W.S. Anderson (the man responsible for the entire Resident Evil movie franchise) to write and direct the movie.

From what the wiki page says, this first version of the movie actually sounded like it would be pretty good. Anderson claimed to be adamant about recreating the dark gothic environments the 3D Castlevania games were known for and about making sure both Dracula and the Belmont clan were integral parts of the story. He even wanted to get Michiru Yamane, who composed much of the music used in the Castlevania series, to do the musical score for the film.

After several delays pushed production forward into 2007, a new director, Sylvain White, was hired and a new script, again written by Anderson with help from White, was written. This script featured the Belmont Clan being forced to take shelter in a castle after a fierce skirmish with vampires. There, they would discover and do battle with the vampire lord Vlad The Impaler (a real-life historic figure who served as inspiration for the original Dracula). I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I am very glad that version of the script never saw the light of day.

As the years rolled by and several more delays, due in part to the 2008 Hollywood strike, cropped up, it looked as if the project was never going to happen. Then in 2009 news finally surfaced that not only was the project still very much alive but that a third director, James Wan, was now set to direct the film. Apparently Wan intends to use elements from both Anderson’s original script as well as the Anderson/White rewrite while putting his “own spin” on them….Because that’s worked so well in the past right?

Like all of the other video game-turned-movies I’ve seen before, and against my better judgment, I’m willing to give this new Castlevania movie the benefit of the doubt. But with a scriptwriter like Anderson, who’s already proved how badly he can massacre a beloved video game franchise with his Resident Evil movies, at the helm and a director who wants to put his “own spin” (which will most likely boil down to crappy CG effects and scantily clad female characters) into the mix, my hopes are not likely to climb too high. 

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