Luc Besson has never been one to follow convention, and his take on Dracula appears no different. The French director’s upcoming gothic feature reunites him with DogMan star Caleb Landry Jones, this time casting the actor in the blood-soaked cape of Count Dracula himself. Known for his eccentric, shape-shifting performances, Jones offers an intriguingly strange presence — a far cry from the suave menace of Bela Lugosi or the operatic grandeur of Gary Oldman. If the newly released trailer is anything to go by, this is a Dracula who’s less aristocrat, more fever dream.
Set for release in France on July 30, 2025, with SND handling local distribution, the film currently has no confirmed U.S. release. That hasn’t stopped it from generating discussion. With Christoph Waltz also attached and Besson writing and producing, the project has a certain off-kilter pedigree that might charm as much as it unsettles. Visually, it leans into an elaborate, high-style aesthetic — one that feels indebted to Coppola’s 1992 version, though filtered through Besson’s slick, moody sensibility.
Whether the film will bring anything genuinely new to the oversaturated vampire canon remains to be seen. Coming hot on the heels of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, Besson’s Dracula faces the challenge of distinguishing itself in a post-gothic revival landscape. Still, if there's one wildcard worth watching, it’s Jones, who seems poised to turn the familiar fangs-and-fog tale into something far weirder — and possibly more memorable — than expected.
