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Eli Roth Now Set to Helm 'Harker' Dracula Project with Russell Crowe
by Alex Billington
July 11, 2012
Source: Deadline
Looks like Eli Roth is on a hot track to direct again. He's been laying low since Hostel: Part II, but has been gearing up to shoot a horror film inspired by his time in Chile called The Green Inferno. Now Deadline is reporting that Roth is attached to direct a Dracula horror thriller called Harker, in development at Warner Bros. It was picked up last year as a spec script written by Lee Shipman & Brian McGreevy (Zorro Reborn) and it eventually got Russell Crowe attached (but not in the lead role). However, things may be switching up a bit with Roth at the helm. "Once they figure out the story then they'll figure out who's right to play him."
Harker is a Dracula reimagining that "sets up [a] sleuth [tracking Dracula] as a potential new franchise character." That's the one-line pitch for this that seems to be going around, so not too much more is known. Russell Crowe will indeed play Dracula, apparently, if things stay together (on top of playing Noah). Deadline states that "Crowe is attached to play Dracula who is tracked by Jonathan Harker, a Scotland Yard detective." Warner Bros is also apparently now trying to "fast-track Harker and has just gone to Roth," which is odd because I didn't think Dracula was coming back (aren't we tired of vampires?). For the latest on this, Deadline adds "the hope is to get Harker underway next year," so we'll keep you updated from here.
Eli Roth, who appeared in Inglourious Basterds and is in the upcoming Aftershock as an actor, has been learning from fellow filmmakers and working on other projects these last few years, now he's ready to jump back into directing. It sounds like he has at least two big directorial projects lined up, between this and Green Inferno. I'm at least curious to see how Roth pushes the limits and tests the boundaries of the genre.
4 Comments
1
I hope he does The Green Inferno first then this. Too long between directing projects.
Luke Banyai on Jul 11, 2012
2
uh such a bad director.
happy camper on Jul 11, 2012
3
The inclusion of Russell Crowe in a movie with a one-word title where that word is the main character's name reminds me an awful lot of when Robin Hood was originally going to be called Nottingham and portray the Sheriff of Nottingham as the protagonist. I wonder if this project will end with Crowe playing Dracula instead of Harker, or better yet, Crowe playing Dracula, Jonathan Harker, Van Helsing, Renfield, and Mina.
gill on Jul 11, 2012
4
I dunno what it is but something about Roth strikes me as unbelievably douchey. Additionally, I haven't been particularly fond of any of his movies, either. I do like Russel Crowe, though, so I guess I'll wait for a first trailer to see if he maybe saves the day.
SuicidalOptimist on Jul 11, 2012
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