Yahoo Movies Van Helsing reboot will be set in present-day
Horror fans may be interested to know that the current reimagining of ‘Van Helsing’ will be set in the present.
Collider reports that the new version - one that reportedly takes place in Universal’s shared universe - will differ significantly in terms of its time period.
One of its four writers, John Spaihts, revealed some interesting details regarding their approach to penning the story:
“It’s a new creation, so it doesn’t owe much of a debt to prior films, but it is still a very romantic departure from the character as incepted in Bram Stoker’s novel, ‘Dracula’, where it was a Dutch doctor who figures out a very surprising answer to an odd medical question. This is a monster hunter with encyclopedic knowledge, but it’s set in the present day and it’s just filled with good stuff I’m not allowed to talk about.”
It’s typical that Spaihts would tease us with tidbits but then be unable to elaborate due to his contractual restrictions but it’s safe to say what he did spill was enough to whet our appetite. A mdoern day version would certainly offer something, well, different. but is that what the franchise really needs?
“But I’m very excited about this new incarnation of Van Helsing, and I hope that as the Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe begins to take flight, we’ll see him cropping up in other stories, as well.”
It’s certainly a bold move that Universal intent to boost their horror icons with such radical remakes in this proposed shared universe - much like Marvel have with their Avengers and other superhero properties - yet it seems a huge ask if they forecast similar success.
Spaihts, who co-wrote ‘Doctor Strange’ and upcoming sci-fi-drama ‘Passengers’, cited how the reboots weren’t part of a “campy series” but were intended to be serious and actually aim to scare its audience. Speaking of related project ‘The Mummy’, he said:
“They’re not terrifying, in modern terms. We’ve gotten really good at scaring people in movies. So, the nice thing about this ‘Mummy’ is that it has the swash-buckling, action-adventure character of a modern epic action movie, but it’s legit terrifying. It will scare you.”
2004′s ‘Van Helsing’ starred Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale and made over $300 million but received very middling reviews. Let’s hope the re-reboot fairs better and has more scares than laughs.
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Picture credit: Universal Pictures
