Renfield is a 2023 American action comedy horror film that draws inspiration from characters in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula and it’s 1931 film adaptation. Directed and produced by Chris McKay. Renfield garnered mixed reviews from critics and unfortunately turned out to be a Box-Office failure, earning only $26.9 million against a budget of $65 million.
The narrative centers on Renfield, who, after years of servitude to Dracula, embarks on a quest to find a new purpose in his life. Following the critical and financial disappointment of The Mummy (2017) and the subsequent collapse of a new Universal Monsters shared universe, Robert Kirkman proposed a fresh take on Dracula, emphasizing the comedic elements of the story and spotlighting Renfield’s character, which he would produce through his company, Skybound Entertainment.
Although Dexter Fletcher was initially set to direct in 2019, McKay took over, utilizing a script by Ryan Ridley based on Kirkman’s original concept. The majority of the cast was assembled between August 2021 and January 2022, with filming occurring from February to August 2022. Marco Beltrami was brought on board to create the film’s score.
Renfield premiered at the Overlook Film Festival on March 30, 2023, and was released in the United States on April 14 by Universal Pictures.
