Dracula is rising from the grave at Universal, the home of monsters as far as I’m concerned. Thomas Tull (no relation to Jethro Tull, the band or the farmer), who produced Godzilla and Pacific Rim, is taking the stake out of the heart of the long-dead count and bringing him back to life. Tull wants his first high-profile project at Legendary Entertainment to be Dracula for Universal Pictures. Dracula will be directed by Gary Shore. Luke Evans will put on the cape and the fangs. Dracula is already in production and should come out on Aug. 8, 2014. Legendary is talking with Universal Pictures suits right now.
Legendary has a five year co-financing deal with Universal. Tull’s team wants to do the fourth installment of Universal’s planned Jurassic Park reboot franchise. Jurassic Park 4 should begin production next year. Legendary Entertainment committed itself to spend about $275 million a year on Universal films for the first two years of the deal. Legendary will put up about $350 million a year for the three years after that. No one at Universal or Legendary are really talking, because they are sworn to secrecy about money matters.
Legendary can pick from a number of Universal monster movies like Van Helsing and the upcoming sequel to the Mummy. Legendary will decide about the Jurassic Park sequel after they see the script. Steven Spielberg is not on board for the next Jurassic Park movie because he costs too much.
Tull recently brought his money to Universal after a longtime deal with Warner Bros. saw releases of such films as Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Warner and Legendary suits battled epically over Man of Steel. Legendary already brought Seventh Son from Warner Bros. to Universal.
***UPDATE*** Following on the heels of Legendary Pictures and Thomas Tull joining the already deep-into-production vampire flick, Universal Pictures has announced thatDracula: Year Zero wil be pushed back from its original release date. Initially slated for an August 8, 2014 release, right around the time of Marvel Studios' latest gamble, Universal now plans to release the origin story of Vlad Tepes on October 3, 2014. More on this story as it develops...
SOURCE: VARIETY
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