Director Chris McKay has solely made just a few movies thus far, however every one has proven he is a filmmaker that likes to push his boundaries and check out new issues. Coming from TV animation like Ethical Orel and Robotic Rooster, it made sense that McKay’s big-budget debut would are available 2017’s The Lego Batman Film, which took The Lego Film model of Batman and gave him his personal story alongside loads of different IP. 2021’s The Tomorrow Battle noticed McKay trying a live-action sci-fi movie starring Chris Pratt and Sam Richardson that was stuffed with extra historical past and lore than your traditional motion movie. McKay’s newest, nonetheless, could be his most bold challenge but, as Renfield is a horror-comedy which reveals the connection between Dracula (Nicolas Cage) and his servant Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) when Renfield decides he may need extra in life than serving the most well-liked vampire of all time.
In our interview with McKay, the director talked about what made him on this model of the Dracula story, the movies that influenced the look of Renfield, directing Nicolas Cage as Dracula, directing the one direct sequel to 1931’s Dracula, and what he contributed to the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves.
COLLIDER: So what was it that drew you to the story of Renfield?
CHRIS MCKAY: I’m an enormous horror film fan, and I grew up watching the outdated films, and with the Common film monsters within the background of all the pieces. Like, the very first e-book I feel I ever learn by myself was a e-book by Alan Ormsby, who ended up changing into a screenwriter, however he wrote a e-book. I feel it’s principally known as Film Monsters, and within the first half of the e-book is the historical past of every of the Common monsters: Creature, Wolf Man, Invisible Man, Frankenstein, Dracula, and many others. After which the remainder of it was tips on how to do make-up like monsters. In order a child, I used to be centered on it—it was most likely like 70–100 pages, tops. I feel I learn it in a day, it was the very first thing the place I sat within the library, and I sat there, and I simply learn it ‘trigger I used to be fascinated.
Then I used to be lucky sufficient that they performed a whole lot of the outdated horror films the place I grew up in Chicago, they performed a whole lot of the outdated horror films, whether or not they had a day film slot earlier than the information. So once I got here house from faculty, they’d do Godzilla week, they’d do King Kong week, they’d do Common Monsters week. They most likely didn’t name it Hammer Motion pictures Week, however I received to see the Oliver Reed werewolf films, issues like that. Son of Svengoolie was one other factor that was on Channel 32 in Chicago, so I received to look at that and see all such outdated films and that form of factor.
So it was very lucky that I used to be given a really complete overview of the historical past of those monsters. So when the script got here to me, and I noticed that it was a distinct manner into this world, that it was by way of a lens of Renfield, by way of a contemporary lens, by way of the lens of codependency and the boss from hell, that appeared like such a enjoyable manner of doing this form of film, and the truth that Common was going to make it, and we are able to play with the outdated Tod Browning film slightly bit in our movie, and have this cockeyed viewpoint on this world simply appeared like a whole lot of enjoyable to me.
I fell in love with the character of Renfield and his relationship with Dracula. Renfield is principally a man who desires to get out of this dangerous relationship, and doesn’t understand how—he’s been on this relationship for 93 years, and he desires to get out of it. I checked out this as a possibility, as a result of it has a whole lot of black comedy in it, there’s a whole lot of motion in it, and there’s slightly little bit of suspense and drama in it too. In order that, to me, appeared like an actual enjoyable mixture. It’s not one thing that comes across the desk fairly often. One thing that’s clearly nonetheless tied to one of many oldest IPs on the earth and doubtless some of the filmed IPs on the earth once you take a look at it. Dracula’s most likely up there with Sherlock Holmes and Hamlet so far as literary character that you just see in film after film.
However the truth that it was this enjoyable manner into this story, the truth that I am going R-rated and produce—for lack of a greater manner of placing it—an Evil Lifeless II kind of splatstick humor to the film, in order that appeared like a whole lot of enjoyable, and I responded to all of that.
Sorry, lengthy option to reply your query, it was one thing that was wholly authentic, and felt like a whole lot of enjoyable to work on, and it’s one thing I’ve received a deep love for.
You’ve already stated that you just grew up with these Common horror movies, and also you talked about Evil Lifeless II, have been there some other horror movies that you just have been once you have been deciding the look of the movie?
MCKAY: Quite a lot of the look of the movie got here from Basil Gogos’ work, the stuff that he did for Well-known Monsters—which I feel he was doing this work within the ‘50s and ‘60s—on the time, these characters have been black and white, and so they have been solely seen in black and white, and he was the primary individual to interpret them into colour. To place Boris Karloff as Frankenstein and Bela Lugosi in colour, and that form of factor. And he painted them with very garish colours, actually moody lighting, however actually saturated greens and purples and oranges, and all that form of factor.
And so for me, that was the place the place a few of this began, as a result of I actually preferred that look and that tone, and it felt like that was the way in which to make it each form of scary at instances, or nonetheless within the supernatural world, and in addition make it form of really feel poppy and enjoyable. And I suppose for me, a whole lot of films typically look the identical, the place it’s both tremendous, tremendous sharp and a traditional layer of saturation, or it’s like one form of colour, and it’s principally yellow, or it’s principally brown-gray, you understand? I like outdated lenses, so I wished the film to have this connection to the previous, and so we used a whole lot of uncoated lenses that had a whole lot of flaws in them, which creates a whole lot of fascinating shapes of the lightning—particularly as a result of there’s a whole lot of candlelight within the film. And I wish to have a whole lot of focus fall off, in order that the sides are slightly blurrier, and so they get slightly darker on the sides, and issues like that.
So I wished the film to look totally different, and a part of that’s trying on the outdated Hammer films, clearly the Common films and issues like that. So there was a whole lot of the way in which these films really feel, the manufacturing design of the Hammer films, which I feel is basically fantastic Technicolor and look of the outdated films. American Werewolf is an enormous film for me, the way in which The Howling makes use of each comedy and horror. And in addition, Joe Dante in The Howling and John Landis in American Werewolf, [there are] a whole lot of allusions to the previous of their films, a form of cheeky humorousness, to the way in which John Landis makes use of music in American Werewolf.
So to me, these have been some issues that I checked out. And I really like Edgar Wright films, so clearly Shaun of the Lifeless. I wished the film to be slightly extra grounded than perhaps Shaun of the Lifeless, but it surely’s nonetheless received the identical form of cheeky sensibility. So to me, it was a whole lot of these movies. It’s simply something that might assist make our film simply really feel slightly bit totally different. You realize, even the way in which we talked in regards to the combat scenes, watching a whole lot of Jackie Chan films, simply due to the way in which he makes use of humor in a combat scene, that was one thing that I wished to search out. Once more, you’re form of doing splatstick, so it’s a little bit of Evil Lifeless, however there’s additionally form of a reputable combat scene with an goal in the course of it, so form of referencing the way in which you form of can construct a way of enjoyable within the combat scenes. So that you’re taking it considerably severely, as a result of it’s nonetheless received to have some stakes, but it surely’s additionally like, you’ve received a smile in your face always.
You’ve gotten a really in depth historical past in animation, how do you are feeling that helped in making Renfield?
MCKAY: Effectively, we at all times storyboard and animatic virtually all of the scenes within the film, as a result of I attempted to do a whole lot of stuff virtually. So, I wish to begin with the inspiration of simply understanding what the fundamental thrust of the scene is, and it additionally helps you kick the tires on the scene to see what’s working from a narrative perspective, or what’s going to be problematic for me, you understand, from a efficiency perspective or a blocking perspective. So I at all times attempt to try this even when it’s a straight dialogue scene, simply in order that we’ve some form of body of reference, so we begin to do a tough draft of the scene. So constructing an animation, the construct reels to form of kick the tires on the film with storyboards and sound design and a few rudimentary voice over. You realize, we’ve everybody within the workplace pitching in to do voices and that form of factor.
You get to form of see the film and really feel the film out, and resolve these issues. And since I got here from stop-motion for essentially the most half in animation—though the LEGO films have been digitally created in a pc—there’s one thing about it—stop-motion—the place it’s a must to construct or discover all the pieces you wish to put in entrance of the digital camera. It’s form of with the ability to perceive that, and perceive the constraints of what you will get virtually, and be capable to go like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna set prolong this,’ or there’s a specific amount of issues that we are able to have fall off into the darkness, and create one thing, like a shot of sunshine or one thing up there to form of create some visible curiosity, though we don’t have that quantity of depth on the set. However in the event you let it fall off into the darkness and also you form of create form up there, it form of provides you a way that there’s one thing within the far distance. Issues like which can be stuff… it’s as a result of, working in animation—particularly as a result of I labored in a pair totally different sorts of animation—you form of perceive what you are able to do with the mixture of sensible and visible results to assist prolong stuff. And I feel a part of it’s additionally as a result of I work in low-budget animation, that helped me be capable to form of improvise on set and be capable to go, ‘okay, cool, this factor didn’t present up, we don’t have this,’ or, ‘we solely have this a lot time, right here’s what we’re going to do in an effort to get essentially the most bang for a buck.’
What’s it like directing Nicolas Cage in such a grandiose position as this one?
MCKAY: Quite a lot of enjoyable. He’s nice. I really feel like I’ve gotten very fortunate with the actors and actually lucky to work with individuals who, typically, are very nice and actually care about what they’re doing and actually come to the desk to play, and Cage is without doubt one of the most playful folks that I’ve met. He’s an actual skilled, like he was off e-book on the second Zoom I had with him. And he had a voice, and he knew what he wished to do, and but, on the similar time, he was open to attempt issues, and we’d definitely improvise some stuff. And he had a handful of dialogue notes, and all of them have been actually humorous and fantastic and in character.
He’s received a deep love of the Christopher Lee Dracula vampire films, however significantly Christopher Lee, and he form of primarily based the character slightly bit on his father, so far as his voice and form of the angle. And so he simply got here to the desk with a totally shaped character. As soon as he learn the script, and we had an preliminary dialog, he was in and he simply form of got here to play. The humorous factor is, with out Nic Hoult and with out Nic Cage, I don’t know if you can also make this film, since you want actors who’re unafraid to be bizarre, and you understand, Hoult has to have the ability to wish to eat bugs on digital camera and be form of a bizarre form of man, but in addition be capable to be humorous and susceptible and charming. So we’ve received to have him to have the ability to carry the film, and somebody who may additionally do stunts.
The identical with Cage, he did a whole lot of his personal stunts too. We had Cage up on wires, we’ve received him doing issues. So there’s a whole lot of can-do angle from these guys that, I’m simply actually lucky that they threw themselves into the cage, and wished to fucking throw stuntmen round, and issues like that. In addition to bringing the comedy and the weirdness, in addition to bringing the drama after we want it, when he feels betrayed by Renfield, you understand? Renfield desires to go away and that’s form of what units off their battle, and you actually really feel it. So, to have the ability to work with actors of that caliber who convey that palette of feelings and vary to the film, I simply really feel actually lucky. I’d work with both of these guys any day of the week.
So that you talked about that Renfield has been with Dracula for 93 years—does that imply that that is form of a direct sequel to the Tod Browning Dracula film?
MCKAY: I stored telling advertising that that’s what we should always say, that that is the one direct sequel. I suppose you would argue Dracula’s Daughter is a sequel as a result of the opening scene is the aftermath of the Tod Browning film, however Bela Lugosi’s not in it, it’s a complete totally different set of characters. And it’s an awesome film, it’s wild in the event you haven’t seen it. I assumed the film was nice.
However to me, that is the one actual direct sequel with the Dracula and the Renfield of that film. So yeah, I want they’d use that within the advertising. I feel that will’ve been a humorous manner of positioning this film. The longest time between the unique film and the sequel, beating Psycho, or no matter. I suppose Avatar perhaps now, because it looks like a very long time for the reason that first one.
Yeah, I used to be doing the mathematics, and was like “wait 93 years, that’s when Dracula got here out…”
MCKAY: Effectively, to start with of the film—this isn’t a spoiler as a result of it’s actually within the first 5 minutes of the film—we flash again to Cage and Hoult as Dracula and Renfield assembly, and we comp them into the Tod Browning film. So it’s Cage on the staircase with the spiderweb behind him, saying, “I’m Dracula, I don’t drink wine,” and all that form of factor, and Hoult is form of within the Dwight Frye Renfield position, and it’s actually the identical costumes and all the pieces. It was a whole lot of enjoyable, and if we had the time and cash, I’d have comped these guys into subsequent Dracula films, I’d have come to the Hammer films, not an analog essentially due to the markers within the film, however I’d have put them within the Frank Langella film, and Dracula Untold, and all the pieces. If I may’ve achieved that, I’d’ve. I don’t know if the studio would’ve been up for that, however I’d have achieved that simply. The Coppola film, that will’ve been nice.
So what’s your favourite vampire story apart from this one?
MCKAY: That’s query. Considered one of my favourite film reminiscences as a child was watching the Roddy McDowall and Williams Ragsdale in Fright Evening, with Chris Sarandon as a vampire, which is a film that got here out within the ’80s. It’s form of like Rear Window as a vampire film, and I at all times actually preferred that film. I at all times thought that there’s one thing about the way it had humorous moments, but it surely was additionally only a straight-up vampire film. A vampire strikes in subsequent door and a child sees him by way of the window, and nobody believes him. It’s nice. Really, in our film, I forged William Ragsdale as a priest who, early within the film, is searching Dracula and Renfield, which was actually enjoyable for me to have the ability to do. It’s a bit half, but it surely’s a enjoyable second for me, and there’s a enjoyable factor that occurs to the priest early to start with, I feel you may see within the purple band trailer.
If you happen to had your choose of some other Common monster film that you would do a Renfield-esque model of, which might be essentially the most fascinating to you?
MCKAY: I at all times actually preferred the Wolf Man. I at all times thought that Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man have been huge as a result of they’re all sympathetic. You felt sorry for Frankenstein’s mom, you felt sorry for the Wolf Man on some stage. I imply, I even felt sorry for Dracula, though they assume he’s extra answerable for the issues that he does. Frankenstein’s monster is simply created by Frankenstein. And you understand, Lon Chaney Jr. within the Wolf Man is bitten by a werewolf, and it’s not his fault, so to talk. However there’s one thing about Dracula that I suppose I at all times felt form of unhappy, and I at all times felt sorry for him, that he couldn’t assist, perhaps, who he was. For me, the Wolf Man could be enjoyable. I don’t know whose lens you’ll put that by way of. I imply, that will be an fascinating factor to determine. I suppose you would undergo his father’s viewpoint, or one thing, to do it another way. However I feel that’s such an awesome story and I feel you would have some enjoyable with that.
So that you even have a narrative credit score on Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves. Are you able to inform us something about that movie as properly?
MCKAY: Yeah, I used to be an enormous D&D child. I used to be approached to direct that film, and I began growing it, and what we have been growing—Mike Gilio and I, the author I used to be working with—we have been form of growing a heist film. Like, how are you going to make this form of an Ocean’s Eleven-type movie. As a result of a whole lot of what you’re doing in D&D is you’re going into a spot, and also you’re going to take one thing to rid it of some dangerous man or one thing, and it’s normally slightly of each. And people films are normally like, ‘we’re gonna attempt to steal one thing,’ however there’s additionally a dishonorable objective and an honorable objective, and a possible option to make sooner or later within the film. And in order that was form of the way in which that we went about it, and we developed a therapy that the studio preferred, and Mike went off and wrote a very nice script. And whereas I used to be growing that, Tomorrow Battle got here alongside, and it was a film that had a window with Chris Pratt’s schedule, and so they wanted a director, and it was about 4 or 5 months earlier than they have been going to shoot it. So I kinda had to choose, and I form of jumped on that, which then put the script and all the pieces that we had achieved as form of soar ball for another administrators to take it.
I feel, from what I perceive—I’ve nonetheless not seen the completed film as a result of I’ve been engaged on Renfield—however I hear [there are] a whole lot of the scenes that Mike and I labored on after which Mike wrote which can be within the film or a minimum of some variations of them. So I’m excited that they form of proceed, a minimum of considerably in that path. However I received to design dragons and issues like that for the film. So there [were] all kinds of dream come true stuff, and I actually love fantasy. I grew up on a whole lot of the Excalibur, Sorcerer, and that form of factor.
So to have the ability to do one thing in that world, but in addition attempt to inform it although a contemporary lens, and attempt to do it by way of a heist, prefer it’s this heist group moving into, after which the specialist who can do that stuff, and supposed to try this, and that form of factor, that, to me, was a whole lot of enjoyable, to simply think about what that will have been and how one can shoot that in a enjoyable, kinetic manner. However I can’t wait to see that film. I actually have heard solely good issues about it, and yeah, it appears nice. And the truth that [there are] like Beholders and issues like that they put within the film, and bugbears and owlbears, that was form of what we did. We actually have been like, “OK, let’s open up the monster handbook, and what number of of those monsters can we get into this film by some means.” It appears like they form of took that ball and ran with it. So I’m excited.
Renfield opens in theaters April 14.
