The first trailer for director Luc Besson’s upcoming film, Dracula: A Love Tale, has been unveiled, offering a look at Caleb Landry Jones in the iconic role of the titular vampire. Jones, known to many for his portrayal of Sean Cassidy, also known as Banshee, in X-Men: First Class, steps into the cape of the legendary Count Dracula in this new cinematic interpretation of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic horror novel. The footage introduces a version of Dracula born from profound loss, now wandering through centuries in search of his reincarnated love. Besson’s adaptation promises a visually distinct take on the Dracula mythos, focusing on the tragic romance and the prince’s centuries-long torment, with the narrative shifting the action to Belle Époque Paris. The project also marks a reunion between Besson and Jones, following their collaboration on the 2023 film Dogman.
The newly released trailer for Dracula: A Love Tale paints a somber picture of Prince Vladimir’s (Caleb Landry Jones) tragic transformation into the immortal vampire. It quickly establishes the catalyst for his curse: the devastating loss of his wife in the 15th century, leading to his renunciation of God and subsequent condemnation to an eternal existence. Viewers are also shown glimpses of medieval despair, sharply contrasted with the opulence of 19th-century Paris, underscoring Dracula’s lonely journey through time. In addition, the trailer highlights Dracula’s centuries-long search for his lost love, suggesting he believes he has found her reincarnation in this new era. However, this potential reunion is tinged with dread, as the footage hints that his presence may bring more damnation than salvation to the object of his affection, setting up a central tragic conflict.
The trailer showcases Jones embodying a Dracula driven by a burning desire for connection, a departure from more monstrous portrayals. It also provides glimpses of Christoph Waltz as a priestly figure, Matilda De Angelis as Maria, and Zoë Bleu as Elisabeta, the lost wife whose memory haunts Dracula. Director Luc Besson, who also penned the screenplay, has indicated that his primary motivation for tackling this legendary tale was his admiration for Caleb Landry Jones’s acting abilities and a desire to collaborate with him again. Besson told Deadline, “It’s not Dracula, my fascination is Caleb.” He further elaborated on the project’s inception: “We were just chatting about other roles that could work for him. I said, ‘You’d be great as Dracula.’ Then, I thought, ‘You know what, I’m just going to write it.”
It’s Been a Busy Couple of Years for Dracula
While Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale promises a unique interpretation driven by Caleb Landry Jones’s performance, it enters a cinematic landscape already teeming with recent portrayals of the iconic vampire and related lore. The character of Dracula, since Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, has remained an enduring figure in popular culture, consistently inspiring filmmakers to explore his dark allure and tragic existence. This persistent fascination means any new adaptation must find a distinct voice to stand out amongst a growing legion of the undead. The challenge for Dracula: A Love Tale will be to carve its own niche in a market that has seen several high-profile vampire projects in the years immediately preceding its release, each offering a different spin on the familiar story.
The last few years alone have witnessed a significant resurgence of Dracula and vampire-centric narratives on screen. In 2023, audiences saw The Last Voyage of the Demeter, a supernatural horror film that focused specifically on “The Captain’s Log” chapter from Stoker’s novel, detailing the doomed ship’s journey. The same year brought Renfield, a horror-comedy offering a fresh perspective by centering on Dracula’s long-suffering familiar, and El Conde, a Chilean black comedy that depicted dictator Augusto Pinochet as an aging vampire. Adding to this crowded field, 2024 saw the release of Robert Eggers’ critically acclaimed Nosferatu. Eggers’ film, a remake of the 1922 silent classic, which itself was an unauthorized adaptation of Dracula, starred Bill Skarsgård as the terrifying Count Orlok alongside Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp. Besson’s film, with its emphasis on a “love tale” and its 19th-century Parisian setting, will need to leverage its specific artistic vision and Jones’s compelling central performance to distinguish itself from these varied and often lauded predecessors.
Dracula: A Love Tale is scheduled to be released in French cinemas on July 30th. A United States distribution plan has not yet been announced.
What are your thoughts on this new take on Dracula, and Caleb Landry Jones in the role? Let us know in the comments!
