The Vampyre: Blood & Ink: Malcolm McDowell stars in adaptation of 1819 novel

John William Polidori was in the room with Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelley when they issued the storytelling challenge that resulted in Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein. Polidori’s contribution to this challenge was the short story The Vampyre, published in 1819 – and Deadline reports that Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) has signed on to star in an adaptation of The Vampyre that’s called The Vampyre: Blood & Ink.

First-time writer Rosanna Hamlin is working with playwright Trisha Ward on the screenplay. The story begins with Lord Ruthven, a mysterious and magnetic nobleman who captivates London society with his charismatic charm. Aubrey, a young Englishman, becomes infatuated with Ruthven and is drawn into a world of secrets and supernatural horror. As Aubrey uncovers the truth about Ruthven’s sinister nature, he finds himself trapped in a perilous battle against the allure of the vampire’s deadly powers. Deadline notes that the film will also explore how Polidori is confronted with his own inner demons and forbidden desires by telling the story of how he becomes obsessed with his real-life contemporary, Lord Byron, who becomes an allegory for the character he has created – Lord Ruthven. When these obsessions are revealed, Polidori descends into madness as his mind slowly merges with the fictional character of Aubrey.

The Vampyre: Blood & Ink is being produced by John Ward and John Dodds, with Jamie Bulman serving as associate producer. Deadline wasn’t able to find out who will be directing the movie.

John Ward provided the following statement: “Polidori’s novel was the source material for many for of the vampire stories that we now know and love and that are so pivotal to centuries of gothic storytelling. This is the origin story that preceded Bram Stoker’s iconic Dracula – and it is time this original version was brought to the big screen. We’re eager to breathe new life into this iconic tale, with an incredible cast and the extraordinary writing talents of Rosie and Trisha.“

Hamlin added: “John Polidori is the father of vampiric literature as we know it and we have him to thank, for everything from Dracula to The Vampire Diaries. To date, he has been an overlooked pioneer of Gothic fiction, so it has been a pleasure to revisit this unparalleled novel and rediscover the timeless allure of the vampire mythos. This story is based around the balance of desire and darkness, love and horror, and the complexity of the mind.“

Malcolm McDowell is being joined in the cast by Derek Jacobi (Murder on the Orient Express), Frances Barber (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool), Amelia Gething (Emily), Amelia Clarkson (The Last Kingdom), and Bill Fellows (Ted Lasso).

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