Saoirse Ronan has blood on her hands in this shot from Byzantium

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

BYZANTIUM is a vampire movie starring Gemma Arterton (PRINCE OF PERSIA) and Saoirse Ronan (HANNA), based on the play of the same name and directed by Neil Jordan (INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE). In other words, these are a few of my favorite things and they’re all together in the same movie.  And, you know, the only other time I can remember being more excited for a vampire story was with LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, and we all know how that turned out.  While I do feel ONDINE to be a bit of a missed opportunity by Jordan, I remain full of hope that he’ll whip together the kind of sultry period-piece that vampires could really use these days.

Here’s a plot recap: Two mysterious, penniless young women that have survived for 200 years by drinking human blood flee the scene of a violent crime and end up in a run-down coastal resort where their bloody past might finally catch up with them.  While there, Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) inspires the interest of a fellow student with her tales of vampirism and eternal life. Besides Arterton and Ronan the cast includes Caleb Landry-Jones (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS) as the fellow student, and Tom Hollander (HANNA) and Johnny Lee Miller (DARK SHADOWS) in yet-unkown roles.  Look for it some time this year, with some more information to hopefully surface soon.