If there’s one actor I’d most like to see play Count Dracula these days, it’s Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”). Why? Because Cage is able to get to the heart of the vampire’s equally flamboyant and bestial nature. In “Renfield”, which will be released in cinemas in Germany on May 25, 2023, Cage can play the iconic prince of darkness in a supporting role. The Oscar winner was not really happy with his performance.
In conversation with the magazine As Nicolas Cage explained, “You know, there are some little moments here where you can see something pathos in Dracula’s eyes. That made me think that maybe one day I’d like to make a whole movie where you really understand the psyche of the character. I haven’t really had time to get into that here.”
Nicolas Cage in the footsteps of Christopher Lee?
The role of the Count was particularly challenging for Nicolas Cage, as he is a huge fan of previous interpretations of the character by Christopher Lee, Frank Langella, Bela Lugosi, and Gary Oldman. The influences of the actors who have had the honor of playing Dracula in the past also influenced Cage’s performance, as he explains in the interview:
“I actually always knew I would do it at some point. I went back to Christopher Lee for how Dracula spoke, but that was really just a starting point. I knew Christopher. I had a little scene with him in The Last Knights Templar and I really liked him. We had many nice conversations and he reminded me a lot of my father. From that moment on, my father became, as it were, my main source of inspiration.”
This is Renfield
Whether we’ll ever get our own Dracula movie starring Nicolas Cage remains to be seen. In any case, it would certainly be fascinating to see how the actor would take on this prestigious role in a feature film. For now, however, we can look forward to his appearance in “Renfield”, in which Cage – just like in the trailer – will certainly appear as an absolute scene thief.
Directed by Chris McKay (“The Tomorrow War”), the film centers on the eponymous sidekick of the narcissistic Dracula, played here by “The Menu” star Nicholas Hoult. Renfield is forced to recover his master’s loot and do his bidding, however humiliating. But now, after centuries of oppression, Renfield is finally ready to emerge from the shadow of the Leech Lord.