Leonardo DiCaprio to Produce Belaโ Lugosi Biopic at Universal
Universalโ Pictures is developing aโ biopic centered on teh โฃlife of Bela Lugosi, the iconic actor โbest known for hisโ definitive portrayal of Dracula. The film โฃwill trace Lugosi’s journey from his immigration to the United States and his ascent to โstardom, encompassing his celebrated Broadway and film performances as Dracula, as โขwell as the pivotal decision to decline the role of Frankenstein’s monster – a part ultimately taken by Boris Karloff.
The project aims to capture Lugosi’s meteoric โrise and subsequent struggles, acknowledging how, despite being forever linked to Dracula, he became a cornerstone of โUniversal’s legendary monster pantheon.โข Jennifer Davisson, โMichael Hampton, and Leonardo DiCaprioโ will produce the filmโ through Appian Way.
The screenplay will be penned by Scott Alexander โฃand Larry Karaszewski,the acclaimed writing duo behind “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Man on the Moon,” “Big Eyes,” “Dolemite is My Name,” and “American โขCrime Story.” Theyโ moast recently wrote a biopic about The Grateful Dead, currently in progress at โApple.
Industry veterans John Cutlerโ and Richard Marshak, who have pursued a Lugosi film for decades, initiated the project as teenagers.Marshak, a โคformer talent agent, has a longstanding professional relationship with DiCaprio, โhaving worked with him early in both of โtheir careers.
Appian Way’s recent productionsโข include Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring DiCaprio, โคand also “The Featherweight” and “Queen of Bones.” DiCaprio currently stars in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One battle Another” and is โขreportedly in talks to โคappear in Michael Mann’s “Heat 2,” โคnow with Amazon MGM’s United Artists, and a new Scorsese Apple โfilm, “What Happens at Night,”โฃ alongsideโ jenniferโฃ Lawrence.
Alexander and Karaszewski โคare represented โขby CAA and Entertainment 360. Appianโ Way is represented byโค LBI and Hansen,Jacobson,Teller. Cutler & Marshak are represented byโ Michael Sherman at Eisnerโฃ Law.