Renfield Actually Works Thanks To Robert Kirkman (Now Give Him The Keys To The Dark Universe)
Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage's Dracula film, "Renfield," is scaring up plenty of good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Though the solid comedic writing and Cage's performance as the Prince of Darkness are sure to impress, it's the story's approach to its central character that allows it to soar. And for that, we have Robert Kirkman to thank.
Although the screenplay for "Renfield" was written by Ryan Ridley, the story it is based on was created by Kirkman, who is well-known for his work in the comic book industry, notably "The Walking Dead" and "Invincible," both of which have become massive small-screen success stories. His production company, Skybound Entertainment, also had a hand in bringing "Renfield" to life.
While Kirkman's comic book bona fides would absolutely lend themselves to a project in need of careful world-building, his skill set doesn't stop there. As he has proven time and time again, Kirkman is nearly unmatched when it comes to making old concepts accessible to a new audience.
Robert Kirkman knows how to make weird stories relatable
The film's script is perfectly fine — not particularly elegant, but efficient, effective, and just self-aware enough to skate by its weaker aspects. However, there's no escaping that Robert Kirkman's concept is what makes "Renfield" truly special.
While Kirkman is a tremendous writer, his true strength is his ability to create concepts with unique twists on familiar stories. As exemplified by his most popular works, he is able to reimagine tired genres without focusing on the reimagination itself. He simply digs into the psychology of his characters and subtly surprises you by inhabiting extraordinary worlds with ordinary, relatable people — and in doing so, he finds himself able to explore ideas that transcend superheroes, zombies, and vampires.
Just as "Renfield" grounds its characters to explore abusive relationships, "The Walking Dead" slows down the apocalypse to explore society, community, humanity, and all the nasty and beautiful things that keep them running. "Invincible," meanwhile, is a quietly cutting story about family and maturation, even as it honors all the expected tropes of a superhero story. If Universal still wants to make its monster universe happen, someone like Kirkman is needed, a creative who can take old concepts and make them new and human once more.