Abigail (2024 film)

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Not to be confused with Abigail (2023 film).

Abigail
An overhead view of a young girl in white ballerina outfit, the dress is soaked in blood.
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAaron Morton
Edited byMichael Shawver[1]
Music byBrian Tyler
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release dates
Running time
109 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$28 million[3]
Box office$20 million[4][5]

Abigail is a 2024 American vampire horror comedy film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick.[6] A reimagining of the 1936 Universal Classic Monsters film Dracula's Daughter, the film follows a group of kidnappers who capture the daughter of a powerful underworld figure and demand $50 million for her release, unaware the young girl is actually a vampire. It stars Alisha Weir as the eponymous daughter of Count Dracula, alongside Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Will Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, and Giancarlo Esposito.

A reboot of Dracula's Daughter was announced to be in development in April 2023, with Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett attached as directors, and Shields and Busick hired to write the screenplay. It was also announced that the film would be a co-production between Bettinelli-Olpin, Gillett, and Chad Villella's Radio Silence Productions, James Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein, and William Sherak's Project X Entertainment, and Tripp Vinson's Vinson Films. Barrera was cast that same month, with Weir, Stevens, Newton, Durand, Cloud, and Catlett hired the next month, and Esposito rounding out the main cast in June.

Principal photography began that month in Dublin, Ireland, but was suspended at the beginning of July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming resumed at the end of that month and wrapped in December. This was the last film that Cloud worked on during his lifetime, as he died on July 31, 2023, shortly after wrapping his scenes; the film is dedicated to him. Brian Tyler, a frequent collaborator of Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett, was hired to compose and conduct the film's score.

Abigail had its world premiere at the Overlook Film Festival on April 7, 2024, and was theatrically released in the United States by Universal Pictures on April 19, 2024. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $20 million worldwide.

Plot[edit]

Six criminals capture ballet dancer Abigail, the daughter of a powerful underworld figure within New York City, and bring her to a secluded mansion upstate.

The group, led by informant Lambert, is told not to disclose any personal information amongst themselves or to Abigail. Using only aliases derived from the Rat Pack, the group consists of former Army medic and recovering drug addict Joey; former NYPD detective Frank; wealthy hacker Sammy; sociopathic driver Dean; Marine sniper Rickles; and dimwitted Canadian mob enforcer Peter. After 24 hours, each will receive a $7 million check so long as Abigail is kept safe. Joey is sent to watch over her and, as they bond, Joey reveals that she has a son. When Joey leaves, Abigail warns her about what will transpire during the night.

After Dean unsuccessfully flirts with Sammy, he enters the basement and is dragged away by an unseen assailant. Sammy hears his screams and investigates only to find Dean's headless corpse. Frank confronts Abigail and demands to know who her father is, finding out that Abigail's father is Kristof Lazar, a feared crimelord. Rickles tries to leave, but the home's security system activates and bars them inside. As they look for another way out, Rickles is mauled to death. Frank tells Peter to kill Abigail only for Joey to intervene. During the altercation, Abigail suddenly transforms into a vampire, causing the group to flee in terror.

Distressed, the group discusses how to kill Abigail, as bullets do not physically harm her. Frank, Peter and Sammy find Abigail dancing with Dean's body and use garlic, stakes, and Christian crosses, but each prove unsuccessful. They regroup once more, and Joey suggests using a tranquilizer Lambert had given them earlier for the kidnapping. They manage to tranquilize Abigail and lock her in an elevator, though not before she bites Sammy on the arm.

Upon awakening, Abigail reveals she knows the kidnappers' identities and that Lambert set them up for her to kill because they all wronged Kristof. In turn, Joey deduces Abigail has been killing her father's enemies in an attempt to win his love. They leave Frank in charge of watching her; Abigail easily breaks out of the makeshift cage and starts strangling him. Joey rips wooden planks off a window and exposes Abigail to the sunlight, which turns out to be her only weakness. With only hours left before nightfall, the group splits up to find a way out. However, Sammy suddenly turns into a vampire under Abigail's control and feeds on Peter before killing him. Abigail then has Sammy attack Frank and Joey, forcing Joey to destroy Sammy with reflected sunlight.

Hoping to deactivate the security measures, Joey and Frank find the mansion's control room and run into Lambert, who is revealed as a vampire. Lambert explains he was turned by Abigail for betraying her father and offers to turn Frank to help him kill Abigail. Frank accepts, but stakes Lambert after he turns and overpowers Abigail before drinking her blood, enhancing his new abilities. He then tells Joey that he intends to turn her into a vampire under his control after biting her. During the fight, Abigail rescues Joey and the two team up, eventually managing to stake the inexperienced Frank. With Frank dead, Joey is freed from the vampire's curse until Abigail's father shows up and threatens her. Abigail manages to stand up to her father and reveals that Joey saved her life; he relents and permits Joey to leave. Upon departing the estate to reunite with her son, Joey treats herself to a lollipop.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Development[edit]

In April 2023, it was reported that Radio Silence Productions was developing a monster thriller film for Universal Pictures, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett attached to direct, with Chad Villella serving as producer alongside William Sherak, Paul Neinstein and James Vanderbilt at Project X Entertainment, while Stephen Shields and Guy Busick would write the screenplay. The project was stated to be a modern-day adaptation of one of the Universal Classic Monsters characters similar in approach to The Invisible Man (2020) or Renfield (2023), with the synopsis being described as "a unique take on legendary monster lore and will represent a fresh, new direction for how to celebrate classic characters". Originally intended to be Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett's next project following the release of the fifth Scream installment, the duo delayed its realization until after Scream VI.[13]

The project was later stated to have originally been titled Dracula's Daughter, the same name as the 1936 film upon which it is based;[9] with Universal restating that while they had considered a singular continuity with The Mummy (2017), each release will continue to be "rooted in the horror genre, with no restrictions on budget, rating or genre. They are not part of a shared interconnected universe, which allows each film to stand on its own. This new direction is filmmaker-driven, inviting innovative filmmakers with original, bold ideas for these characters to develop the stories and pitch them."[7][9][8][11] The film was officially titled Abigail in January 2024.[14]

Casting[edit]

In April 2023, Melissa Barrera was cast one of the main roles of the film after previously appearing in the filmmaking duo's Scream films.[7] The following month, Dan Stevens, Kevin Durand, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud, and Will Catlett joined the cast.[8][11][9][10] In June 2023, it was announced that Giancarlo Esposito was cast in a supporting role.[12] Weir, known for her role as Matilda Wormwood in the 2022 Netflix musical film, was later revealed to be playing Dracula's daughter.[15]

Filming[edit]

Principal photography began on June 30, 2023, in Dublin, Ireland,[16] under the working title Abducting Abigail,[17] but filming was suspended in July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[18] Aaron Morton serves as the cinematographer.[19] Cloud finished filming his scenes prior to his death on July 31, 2023.[20] Filming wrapped on December 15 of the same year.[21]

Music[edit]

Brian Tyler composed the film's score; he collaborated with Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett on prior projects.[22] The directors commissioned Jean Dawson for an original song, "Burn My Tongue", which plays over the closing credits.[23][24] The soundtrack album, featuring Tyler's score and "Burn My Tongue", was released on April 19.[24]

Post production[edit]

In the film, there is a brief easter egg that shows the character Tony Le Domas from Radio Silence's Fox Searchlight Pictures film Ready or Not (2019) in a portrait on the mansion.[25][26]

Release[edit]

Abigail had its world premiere at the Overlook Film Festival on April 7, 2024,[27] and was released by Universal Pictures in the United States on April 19, 2024.[10]

Reception[edit]

Box office[edit]

As of April 26, 2024, Abigail has grossed $15 million in the United States and Canada and $5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $20 million.[4]

In the United States and Canada, Abigail was released alongside The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and Spy × Family Code: White, and was projected to gross $12–15 million from 3,384 theaters in its opening weekend.[3] The film made $4 million on its first day, including $1 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $10.2 million, finishing second at the box office behind holdover Civil War.[28]

Critical response[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 176 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Carrying off well-worn vampire tropes with a balletic flourish, Abigail dances around the familiarity of its premise with a game cast and slick style."[29] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 62 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[30] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[28]

Tim Robey of The Telegraph awarded the movie four stars out of five, saying: "Alisha Weir goes impressively off the deep end in this horror-thriller about six criminals who get more than they bargained for."[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Abigal Production Information". Universal Pictures. Getty Images. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  2. ^ "Abigail (18)". BBFC. April 4, 2024. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Rubin, Rebecca (April 17, 2024). "Box Office: Dracula's Daughter 'Abigail' Tries to Take a Bite Out of 'Civil War' With $12 Million Debut". Variety. Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Abigail – Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "Abigail (2024)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Noraas, Dana (January 17, 2024). "'Abigail': Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Everything We Know About Melissa Barrera's Next Horror Movie". Collider. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Kroll, Justin (April 13, 2023). "'Scream' Star Melissa Barrera Reunites With Radio Silence On Secret Monster Movie For Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Kroll, Justin (May 11, 2023). "Dan Stevens Joins Radio Silence's Secret Monster Movie At Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d Kit, Borys (May 9, 2023). "Matilda: The Musical Star Alisha Weir Joins Melissa Barrera in Untitled Monster Movie From Scream VI Filmmakers (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 12, 2023). "Radio Silence Universal Monster Thriller Adds Angus Cloud, Kathryn Newton & Will Catlett; Sets Spring 2024 Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Grobar, Matt (May 12, 2023). "Kevin Durand Joins Radio Silence's Monster Thriller For Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Kroll, Justin (June 14, 2023). "Giancarlo Esposito Joins Radio Silence's Secret Monster Movie At Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  13. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 11, 2023). "'Scream' Filmmaking Team Radio Silence Reunites With Project X On Untitled Monster Movie At Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  14. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 11, 2024). "Universal's Melissa Barrera & Angus Cloud Monster Thriller From Radio Silence Gets Title & Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Couch, Aaron (January 11, 2024). "Monster Movie from 'Scream' Directors Gets Title, Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024. Sources previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the child is the daughter of Dracula.
  16. ^ Geisinger, Gabriella (June 23, 2023). "Dan Stevens, Melissa Barrera monster thriller filming in Dublin". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook. Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  17. ^ "Abducting Abigail". Production List. Film & Television Industry Alliance. May 1, 2023. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  18. ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (July 13, 2023). "Here Are All The Movies Affected by the SAG-AFTRA Strike From 'Deadpool 3' to 'Mission: Impossible 8' (Photos)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  19. ^ "Aaron Morton Resume" (PDF). Murtha Skouras Agency. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  20. ^ Vlessing, Etan (August 1, 2023). "Angus Cloud Completed Filming on Two Upcoming Films". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  21. ^ Echebiri, Makuochi (December 18, 2023). "Universal Monster Thriller From Radio Silence Wraps Filming". Collider. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  22. ^ "Brian Tyler to Reteam with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett on Abigail". Film Music Reporter. January 11, 2024. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  23. ^ Shaw-Williams, Hannah (April 5, 2024). "Abigail Directors Tease a Brain-Melting Soundtrack and Jean Dawson's End Credits Song". /Film. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Abigail Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. April 18, 2024. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  25. ^ Squires, John (April 23, 2024). "Do 'Ready or Not' and 'Abigail' Take Place in the Same Universe? Did You Spot This Connection?". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  26. ^ Weiss, Josh (April 23, 2024). "Did You Catch Radio Silence's Sneaky Ready or Not Easter Egg in Abigail". SyFy. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  27. ^ Grobar, Matt (March 6, 2024). "Universal Vampire Flick Abigail Set To Close Out Overlook Film Festival – View Full Lineup". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 14, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  28. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 21, 2024). "'Civil War' Brings Audiences Together With $11M+ Second Weekend Win – Sunday AM Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  29. ^ "Abigail". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 29, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  30. ^ "Abigail". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  31. ^ "Abigail: Gloriously gory proof that kidnapping Dracula's daughter is a bad idea". The Telegraph. April 18, 2024. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.

External links[edit]

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