Blacula reboot coming from director Deon Taylor and MGM

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The week after director Deon Taylor's horror comedy The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 reached theatre screens, it has been announced that Taylor is set to helm a reboot of the 1972 blaxploitation classic Blacula (watch it HERE).

A collaboration between MGM, Bron, and Hidden Empire Film Group, this Blacula is being described as a "modern reimagining" of the original film, but the description in Variety goes on to make it sound like this will be a follow-up to Blacula and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream (watch that one HERE). According to Variety, "the reboot picks up where the original saga left off, after the 1973 sequel Scream Blacula Scream, and will be set in a metropolitan city post-coronavirus pandemic". So it seems we're finally getting a Blacula 3, after nearly fifty years.

Blacula "thirsts for vengeance" in the new film, which has the following synopsis: 

Blacula is an ancient African prince who is cursed by Dracula after he fails to agree to end the slave trade. Blacula is entombed and awakens 200 years later ready to avenge the death of his ancestors and of those responsible for robbing his people of their work, culture and heritage as they appropriated it for profit.

Taylor will be directing the film from a screenplay he wrote with Micah Ranum. He had this to say about the project: 

Blacula is arguably one of the most prestigious Black franchises and so important to the culture as it birthed a groundswell of Blaxploitation-horror films, which changed the game for how our people were seen on the big screen. Growing up in Gary, IN, I loved watching Blacula and was so proud that William Marshall was a fellow Gary native. It’s mind-blowing that this franchise never got the energy or appreciation that other genre films received over the years, but this reboot is about to change all that. Thank you to Aaron, Brenda and team Bron as well as everyone at MGM for joining us on this adventure. We promise to bring new life to the iconic Blacula character that will resonate with audiences worldwide!"

The new Blacula is being produced by Hidden Empire Film Group's Roxanne Avent Taylor and Bron's Aaron L. Gilbert. DJ Holloway is managing the project. Gilbert said, 

I am thrilled to be collaborating with Deon, Roxanne, and the team at Hidden Empire — all proven forces to be reckoned with, on Blacula. It is my hope that our reimagining of the film will open a dialogue among us."

The original Blacula is a really good movie, much better than the title might lead you to believe. William Marshall made the vampire (named Mamuwalde before Dracula renames him) a very strong, regal character, and it's going to be tough to live up to his performance.

In addition to The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2, Deon Taylor's previous directing credits include Chain Letter, Meet the Blacks, The Intruder, Black and Blue, and Fatale.