With the vampire genre flourishing thanks to the likes of "Twilight" and "True Blood," it was only a matter of time before comic books turned their attention towards bloodsuckers once more in the form of "Blade," the half-vampire vampire-hunting hero from Marvel Comics. The Wesley Snipes-starring franchise has been dormant for years, though there was recent scuttlebutt about a revival sans Snipes. Now, new rumors suggest that not only will Snipes not return, but Blade himself might be absent as well.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, actor Stephen Dorff allegedly remarked that a prequel trilogy to the first "Blade" film is in the works. Dorff would reprise his role as the villainous Deacon Frost in a series of movies exploring the character's rise from underling to vampire overlord.
"It will be a prequel to the 'Blade' movies, Deacon's story," the actor said. "It's a new trilogy the director [Stephen Norrington] has created. It will [be] cool."
As for when fans can expect to see Deacon Frost on film again, Dorff said the project would begin shooting next year. Director Norrington weighed in on the time table himself, telling Comics2Film that filming would commence after his previously announced "The Crow" reinvention, which could be several years away.
Maybe the biggest question about a Deacon Frost trilogy is whether or not there's an audience in place. Sure, vampires are on the rise, but will the "Twilight" fans come to theaters for a guaranteed bloodfest focusing on a seriously villainous character? Without Blade's involvement, will comic book fans fill out the seats?
On that last point, Norrington said "Blade" fans will be happy. "The linkage to 'Blade' is still big in the equation," he said.
Still, an even bigger part of the equation is this: with the trilogy likely years away, will anyone still care about the vampire genre? It's hard to say, but Dorff himself has had a difficult time distancing himself from the character of Deacon Frost -- a role he hasn't reprised in over a decade.
"Frost is a character I have never been able to shake," the actor admitted.
Are you interested in a series of "Deacon Frost" films, or would you rather see further "Blade" movies?
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