Source: THR | Posted By: Dan Geer
The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a film that has been in the works for quite some time with Millennium Films. The Demeter is the name of the ship that stowed Count Dracula and his cargo during a trip from Transylvania to London in the classic novel by Bram Stoker. In the story, strange occurrences ensue on board the ship that involve the slaying of every crew member on board, save for one raving lunatic who craves the blood of insects, and of course the infamous Count himself. Read on to find out more about director Neil Marshall’s involvement with the project, and the production hiccups that have occurred along the way.
The screen adaptation of the story was written over a decade ago by Season of the Witch scribe Bragi Schut. Directors such as Marcus Nispel (Conan the Barbarian) and Robert Schwentke (Red) were interested in the project, but things never came to pass for either of them. David Slade (30 Days of Night), arguably a much more qualified director when it comes to vampire films, eventually agreed to direct, with actors Ben Kingsley and Noomi Rapace apparently on board (no word on which characters they would play). Now, it appears Slade is off the project, and Neill Marshall has stepped in. Not a bad choice, given that he directed the cult horror film The Descent.
No word on why exactly the project has had so many hiccups in its production, except that Demeter producers Arnold Messer, Mike Medavoy, and Bradley Fischer have been known to take forever in getting projects off the ground, which might have caused scheduling conflicts with various directors. It is also unclear whether or not Kingsley or Rapace will still be a part of the film.
Whatever the case may be, this is definitly a film that has some serious potential. I just wish Slade was still attached to direct, since 30 Days of Night was such a phenomenal piece of work, and, in this writer’s opinion, a much better film than The Descent.
What do you think of the news? Discuss your thoughts below!
In case you are unaware, the full original 1931 Universal Pictures classic Dracula film is available on YouTube for your viewing pleasure!
