Alex Proyas’ Dracula: Year Zero starting production down under!

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

Adding to the sudden wave of oral fixations this morning, the dark prince himself will finally get to lick his own set of lips when production for Alex Proyas’ DRACULA: YEAR ZERO begins later this year in Australia.

According to Encore, Universal Director Mike Baard has just stated that the film will be shot in the land of Koalas and Kangaroos using local resources which include locations, crew members and even the cast themselves. Nice offer to the fine folks down there if I might say so myself. If everything goes well, the cast will be lead by Sam Worthington who is being highly considered for the role. This will be Worthington’s first film in Australia since the crocodile flick ROGUE in 2007. I can only imagine the reason(s) why he hasn’t returned since.

Lining up next to DRACULA: YEAR ZERO is another curious project that is also set to film in Australia. P.J. Hogan’s MENTAL is set to shoot early next year for a Christmas or January 2012 release. Wait. Who-to-the-what is MENTAL? The only thing known about the project is that it is “The Sound of Music on acid” as stated by Hogan. MENTAL, also produced by Universal, will star Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) with Lynda Moorhouse and Jerry Zucker (Airplane!) producing. Nice team for a film that’s supposed to be like a trippy ass musical. Speaking of trippy musicals, where’s that copy of ACROSS THE UNVIERSE…

Baard has even commented on Universal’s involvement with Australian talent. He stated that Universal had “an active role in developing new Australian stories for Australian audiences”. How’s that for taking the initiative. With Universal emphasizing so much on Australian resources it’s fair to say that there might be many pics to come that will display the mighty backdrop of colored landscapes, a few shrubs and scary ass insects. Somehow Dracula will fit into all this.

How about a little of Australia we can all enjoy: Imogen Bailey.