Renfield's Robert Kirkman & Director Chris McKay Get Nerdy About Deleted Scenes, Nicolas Cage & Gore
35What makes director Chris McKay’s Renfield so different from the Dracula films that came before it? Well, Nicolas Cage as Dracula for one, but also that the unique concept, which originated from comic writer and producer, Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), focuses not on the legendary vampire, but on his deeply devoted servant, the titular Renfield, played by Nicholas Hoult. The movie takes a comedic approach to the classic tale but certainly doesn’t shy away from the blood and the horror elements. In their interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, McKay tells us it’s Hoult’s performance that really nails this spin, as well as Cage, who Kirkman says is “one of the greatest living actors.”
In the movie, Robert Montague Renfield has been diligently serving Count Dracula for nearly a century. Set in modern times, he’s now longing to experience independence, a life all his own that doesn’t involve feeding human beings to a super powerful vampire. Unfortunately for Renfield, removing yourself from a toxic, co-dependent relationship is always a struggle, and McKay serves that up bloody and violent.
Before seeing Renfield in theaters on April 14, check out Kirkman and McKay’s conversation in the video above, or you can read the full transcript below. During the interview, Kirkman explains the “cool evolution” of his original idea to the screenplay penned by Ryan Ridley, to what McKay presents onscreen. They touch on the gore, which McKay says pushed the MPAA limits “a little bit,” and reveal which scene he regrets not getting into the final cut. The duo talks about getting nerdy with the 1931 Dracula scenes in Renfield, Cage’s passion for filmmaking, and how Hoult was key to balancing the bizarre and beautiful tones of this dark comedy. Plus, they tease a Renfield 2 and Kirkman shares some good news for Invincible fans.
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