The creators of "Sherlock" are nearly done with the scripts to their new series. Steven Moffatt and Mark Gatiss have been working together on another adaptation of the story of iconic vampire Dracula and they confirmed that filming might begin soon.
Moffat told Radio Times that they have recently completed the third script to the series. Essentially, this means that they are nearly done writing the first season so the next step would be to start with the actual filming.
The series, aptly titled "Dracula," will star Danish actor Claes Bang as the Prince of Darkness. But the scribes are still keeping mum on the angle this new tale, given how many times Dracula has been adapted in the past.
Moffat and Gatiss, however, hinted that their version of "Dracula" will explain his inner struggles. It will give the audience an idea why he's got a dark presence to him. In this series, Dracula will be the actual hero and not the villain of the story.
The pair is also ecstatic about finding Bang to play the lead role. They praised the actor for his presence, looks, height and acting ability. They described Bang as a cross between two famous vampire actors, Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi, so they are quite certain that Bang has always been the right choice for "Dracula."
The executive producers also said that Bang was the only actor they considered to play the vampire. It was a lot similar to their choice of having Benedict Cumberbatch play "Sherlock" in 2010 since they also saw no one else during the auditions.
Bang's casting as the vampire Dracula was announced in November 2018. Those curious to see the actor on the big screen before the premiere of "Dracula" can watch him with Claire Foy in "The Girl in the Spider's Web."
Other casting announcements for "Dracula" will likely follow in the next few months. Moffat said that they are looking to add more Danish actors since they are going for a Scandinavian look for the series.
But the executive producers are also not yet giving away the filming site for "Dracula." The series is a co-production between BBC and Netflix so fans can expect the show to air on the network and run on the streaming platform when the first season is out.
With "Dracula" almost ready for production, Moffat and Gatiss have to set aside doing "Sherlock" season 5 for at least two years. The popular series, however, has not yet been officially canceled.
