Van Helsing Into the Inferno

***Van Helsing Into the Inferno*** (also known as ***Van Helsing II*** or ***Van Helsing Returns***) is an upcoming period action horror film co-written, produced, and directed by Stephen Sommers. It is a sequel to ***Van Helsing*** (2004) and Hugh Jackman will reprise his role as vigilante monster hunter Van Helsing, with David Wenham and Alun Armstrong also returning. Noomi Rapace, Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, and Tom Felton rounding out the main cast. While the first film was an homage and tribute to the Universal Horror Monster films from the 1930s and 1940s, this film pays tribute to classic horror literature of the late 20th century like the Invisible Man (1897) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890).

Development of a sequel began in 2004 after *Van Helsing*'s theatrical release but stalled grossing only $120,177,084 in the United States box office, losing Universal almost $34 million. Universal announced that they would be rebooting *Van Helsing* with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci as a two-year deal to produce a modern reimagining with Tom Cruise acting as the lead actor and producer. However, Cruise choose to reboot *The Mummy* which failed critically and commercially. A proper sequel was pitched to the studio in 2020 by comic writer Nantes Cullins (an avid fan of the original) who hoped to direct. Universal was initially hesitant but saw potential, due to the devoted fanbase of Sommers' work, causing the studio to fast-track the film. Sommers and Jackman began negotiations to return in July 2020 with the rest of the cast signing on in the coming months. Cullins and Sommers collaborated on the film's script to "maintain the spirit of the original while making a genuinely terrifying sequel". Filming is expected to begin in January 2021 in London and will utilize the StageCraft technology created by Industrial Light & Magic , using virtual sets and a 360-degree video wall to create the film's gothic environments. The film also feature creature effects by Stan Winston Studios and enforce strict rules to keep the cast and crew safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

*Van Helsing Into the Inferno* is scheduled for release on May 7, 2024, which will be the 20th anniversary of the original film.

## Premise

Van Helsing embarks on a mission to discover his origins and comes into conflict with a new triumvirate of villains including the Invisible Man, the Blood Countess, and the sinister Dorian Grey.

## Cast

* Hugh Jackman as Gabriel Van Helsing, a legendary hunter of monsters who is formerly an archangel
* Noomi Rapace as Maleva, a Gypsy woman with a connection to Van Helsing's past
* David Wenham as Carl, Van Helsing's armorer and friend; formerly a friar, now, a monk of the Holy Order
* Alun Armstrong as Cardinal Jinette, Van Helsing's superior in the Holy Order
* Mads Mikkelsen as Dorian Grey, a suave English lord with vast knowledge of the occult
* Alicia Vikander as Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian noblewoman and bloodthirsty vampire
* Tom Felton as Arthur Griffin, an eccentric scientist with unnatural obsession of optics

## Production

### Development

Development of a sequel began in 2004 after *Van Helsing*'s theatrical release but stalled grossing only $120,177,084 in the United States box office, losing Universal almost $34 million. Universal announced that they would be rebooting *Van Helsing* with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci as a two-year deal to produce a modern reimagining with Tom Cruise acting as the lead actor and producer. However, Cruise choose to reboot *The Mummy* which failed critically and commercially. Nantes Cullins, who is an avid fan of the original film and Sommers' *Mummy films*, pitched his idea for a sequel to the studio with the help of Tommy Shogun, another Sommers' fan who was helming a Scorpion King reboot for the studio. Universal was initially hesitant but decided to pursue the film after evaluating the response from other devoted fans of Sommers' work. By June 2020, Cullins and Sommers met to discuss the film, with Sommers agreeing to write, executive produce, and possibly direct. The two began work on a script shortly after, looking to gothic horror as an influence but not as a reflection of the film's tone. The film's writing became particularly inspired by *Inferno,* the first canticle of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, with Sommers stating he wanted explore Gabriel's origin a bit more (*like in the original film's novelization*) while maintaining the spirit of the first film but making a genuinely terrifying sequel. Jackman was involved early in the project's developed and confirmed his return via Instagram with Sommers confirming his role as director not long after. The film's script was turned in by September 2020 and Sommers affirmed his plans to begin "shooting soon after". In an interview with IGN, producer Bob Ducsay said that the coronavirus pandemic would not hinder the film's production and the decision to release the film on its 20th anniversary was a "strategic move" for Universal, despite it being filmed in advance.

### Production

Filming is expected to begin in January of 2021 in London with an estimated completion of June that year. Sommers revealed that other filming locations will include the Universal Studios backlot in Universal City, California, New York, and the original film's Prague set. The film's visual effects will be handled by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and the film will also feature creature effects by the legendary Stan Winston Studios. The production will utilize the StageCraft technology created by Industrial Light & Magic , which was popularized during the production of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and uses virtual sets and a 360-degree video wall to create the film's environments with minimal exertion of the crew and full creativity.

## Release

*Van Helsing Into the Inferno* is scheduled for release on May 7, 2024, which will be the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of *Van Helsing* (2004).

## Future

Into the Inferno will be part of a film series related to Stephen Sommers' 1999 re-imagining of The Mummy dubbed the "*Mummyverse*". It will be preceded by The Scorpion King reboot, written and directed by Tommy Shogun, in 2022. In a 2020 interview with Variety, Shogun said he and Cullins have more films planned for the series and that hopes that Sommers will remain involved in this new film series. Jackman expressed interest in additional *Van Helsing* films, saying, "I have a few more of these left in me".