After nearly a decade of working on various indie projects like 'Mandy' and 'Pig', Cage will make his return to big studio films with Universal's monster movie.
Nicholas Hoult plays the titular role and Chris McKay ('The Lego Batman Movie') directs.
Rather than focus on the creature of the night himself, the film will centre around the Count's lackey. The character of Renfield originated in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel 'Dracula'. While locked away in a lunatic asylum, he eats insects and rats in hope of immortality. Eventually it is revealed that he is under the influence of Dracula's spell.
In Francis Ford-Coppola's 1992 adaptation of the novel, musician and actor Tom Waits plays Renfield.
The movie will be set in the present and has been described as a modern-day adventure story that is comedic in tone. The rest of the plot is a mystery for now.
Cage's last brush with a bloodsucker was way back in 1988 when he starred in the bizarre horror-comedy 'Vampire's Kiss'. Originally slammed a the box office, the film has since become something of a cult classic. Cage's over-the-top performance is a standout of the movie.
'Renfield' will be produced by Skybound Entertainment’s film team, including Kirkman, David Alpert, Bryan Furst and Sean Furst. McKay’s producing partner Samantha Nisenboim will serve as an executive producer.
The film will be the latest of attempts by Universal to establish their monster-verse, after Tom Cruise's 'The Mummy' remake and Elizabeth Moss' 'The Invisible Man'. Ryan Gosling will also star in the upcoming film 'Wolfman'.
