Last Voyage Of The Demeter - What We Know So Far

Few characters in literary history have received quite as many moments in the cinematic sun as Transylvania's sun-dodging vamp, Count Dracula. Since debuting in the pages of Bram Stoker's iconic gothic chiller "Dracula" over a century ago, the character first made his way to cinemas via F.W. Murnau's expressionistic 1922 masterpiece "Nosferatu," and has since inspired dozens of other iterations for screens big and small. Dozens more will undoubtedly make their way to the screen moving forward, as fans simply cannot seem to get enough of the bloodsucking Count's story.

Even still, it feels like it's been a few years since the Count emerged from the shadows for either a film or television project. That'll change soon enough with the release of "The Last Voyage of the Demeter," which promises to take a slightly different approach to the vampire's well-covered narrative. If you're dying to know more about the currently in-production project, we've got a coffin full of details for you that are sure to get you hyped up for the film. Here's everything we know so far about "The Last Voyage of the Demeter."

Now that you know a new Dracula flick is indeed on the way, you're probably wondering when you'll be able to see it. And in all honesty, we haven't a clue when "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" will be hitting a multiplex near you as the film is still very much in the early stages of production. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it only just started filming this week in Berlin, Germany, so we probably shouldn't expect to see the premiere of "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" until sometime in 2022. In any case, we'll update this post the moment a proper release date is announced.

Now, that wait might seem torturously long, but given that the project has apparently been stuck in development hell for nearly two decades, we should all be happy to wait just a little bit longer to lay eyes on it. Yes, as "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" is now charging ahead with "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" and "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" helmer André Øvredal in the director's chair, it'll no doubt be worth the wait.  

While we can't yet say when "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" will hit theaters, we've got a good idea who will be in the film when it does. Rest assured, André Øvredal has lined up an intriguing cast of players for his latest creepy confection. Chief among them are David Dastmalchian, who's been stealing scenes in film and television projects big and small for years now (see: his work in the "Ant-Man" flicks). The beloved actor will next be seen in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" and Denis Villeneuve's "Dune," before playing the Demeter's first-mate Wojchek for Øvredal.

Dastmalchian will be answering to "Game of Thrones" fan favorite Liam Cunningham in the film, who'll be playing the ill-fated vessel's captain. That duo will be joined on screen by star-on-the-rise Corey Hawkins ("BlacKkKlansman," "In the Heights"), "Deadpool" favorite Stefan Kapicic (he's Colossus), and "The Nightingale" star Aisling Franciosi. Rounding out the cast of "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" is Javier Botet, who'll give terrifying life to the undead Dracula, having already done as much with the Crooked Man in "The Conjuring 2," the titular ghoul in "Slender Man," Keyface in "Insidious: The Last Key," and the Big Toe Corpse in Øvredal's own "Scary Stories" flick. 

As for what "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" is about, well, it is in fact another in a long line of Dracula stories, which means it's ultimately taking its cues from the well-trod narrative of Bram Stoker's famed novel. Unlike all those other "Dracula" projects, "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" isn't taking a macro approach to the story, focusing instead solely on the single chapter from the book detailing the doomed ship's crossing from Transylvania-adjacent Carpathia to London, England.

If you've read Stoker's book or seen any of the prior Dracula films depicting the Demeter's journey, you know Dracula himself is stowed away on the ship and things do not go well for Captain or crew during the journey. That harrowing journey is told largely through the Captain's journals, which narrates the ships travails, including the mysterious disappearance of the entire crew. It remains to be seen if Øvredal and "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" writers Bragi F. Schut and Zak Olkewicz will utilize the same framework for the film, but it's hard to imagine they'll shy too far away from said narration as it's so chillingly effective in the book.

Needless to say, the Demeter's journey should provide André Øvredal and company ample opportunity for unique scares, and we cannot wait to see what they bring to this terrifying chapter in Dracula's story.