Is Dracula Untold Secretly Part Of Universal’s Shared Monster Universe?

Despite claims that 2016’s ‘The Mummy’ reboot would be the first film in Universal’s planned “Classic Monsters” shared universe plan, could ‘Dracula Untold’ actually be the first step on that journey? Has Gary Shore’s supernatural epic been altered to fit this new grand scheme? We think it has. Let us explain.

Earlier this year Universal announced it was planning to launch a series of films that would unite the studio’s legendary monsters on screen in a shared movie universe.

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Taking cues from Marvel’s success with ‘The Avengers’, the studio is planning a series of solo films featuring Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein, the Creature From The Black Lagoon, Van Helsing, and more culminating in a monster mash-up movie that would see all of Universal’s monsters together on screen.

The studio has been adamant that this new shared universe would start with 2016’s ‘The Mummy’, followed soon after by a ‘Van Helsing’ film, but we think execs may have taken a look at ‘Dracula Untold’ and realised that, with some minor amendments, they could get the ball rolling on their grand plan much sooner. After all, they’re going to have to introduce Dracula into the mix at some point, so why not capitalise on Luke Evan’s popularity and bring him in sooner rather than later?

But why do we think this is the case? Our theory rests on a few key facts about the final ‘Dracula Untold’ film.

Warning plot spoilers coming up.

The origin of Charles Dance’s character has been drastically changed

In early press for the film Charles Dance’s character, the vampire who turns Vlad Tepes into the blood-sucking Dracula, was clearly identified as Caligula, the mad Roman emperor. Shock Till You Drop’s set visit, posted in July 2014, notes:

"Vlad unwillingly goes on a journey that will carry him Broken Tooth Mountain where he will meet Caligula (Charles Dance) and, well, things take a transformative turn. (And yes…I said Caligula, the Roman emperor who was “assassinated” in 41 A.D.)”

Now though, the name Caligula has been excised from all press materials. The character is referred to as “The Master Vampire” in the official press notes, and until very recently, the name Caligula remained on the film’s IMDB page. He’s never referred to by name in the final film, and his famous history is never alluded to. But why would they change it? It could just be that his origin was superfluous to the story, but we’re not convinced.

Charles Dance’s character survives the film and will likely return in future films

‘Dracula Untold’ ends in the modern day. Dracula is browsing a London market, where he happens upon a beautiful woman that reminds him of his departed wife Mirena, in fact they look identical because they’re both played by Sarah Gadon. They exchange niceties and go off into the distance, cut to… Charles Dance’s character, who we assumed was out of the picture by this point.

When he turns Vlad into a vampire earlier in the film, they discuss a pact. Dance’s sinister character explains that if Vlad decides to stay a vampire, he will become free of his enforced solitude on the cave, but that he will require Vlad’s assistance in the future.

The film ends with Dance’s rejuvenated vampire walking towards the screen, declaring “Let the games begin”.

What does it mean?

Films often go through a number of changes throughout their production and sometimes character’s roles grow or sometimes they get cut completely, so it could just be that they thought his backstory is irrelevant. Our theory is that the filmmakers realized they had a pretty good foundation to build their “Monsters Universe” on in ‘Dracula Untold’, and so they retrofitted the story in order to make Charles Dance the universe’s Nick Fury.

We think his character will become the puppet master that ties all the monster’s films together in preparation for the huge monster mash up movie they have planned. After all, Dance’s stock is currently sky high thanks to his role in ‘Game of Thrones’, so why not bring him back for future films. In the press notes, director Gary Shore says “The Master [Vampire] is Vlad’s tormentor, somebody he is destined to do a dance of death with for many years to come—the Joker to our Batman.”

But could they not just be setting up a ‘Dracula Untold’ sequel? That could be true, and we’d love to see Luke Evans return as Dracula, but why would they tee up a sequel when they’ve been very vocal about the whole “Monsters Universe” plan, which would require another new Dracula to be introduced? We’d put our money Dance’s character popping up in ‘The Mummy’, tying this film to the larger shared “Monsters Universe”.

When challenged on this theory, Luke Evans told us with a wry grin, “I’m not sure I can answer any of that.”

We’ve reached out to Universal for comment and they told us, “As the origin mythology of Dracula was refined for the film, it became increasingly clear that we needed a powerful, mysterious mentor figure to grant Vlad his inhuman powers. As the film’s approach leaned toward a more fantastical inauguration for our lead character, the role of his dark master was reconceived and portrayed by the commanding Charles Dance.”

What do you think? Are we howling up the wrong tree, or has Universal just pulled off a big magic trick and kickstarted a massive franchise without us even knowing it?

Let us know below.

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Image credit: Universal/Press Association