MGM, Bron, and Hidden Empire Film Group are collaborating on a new adaptation of 1972’s Blacula, which will be directed by Deon Taylor.
In addition to that, Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander have announced that a Blacula graphic novel will be released in February 2022.
Zombie Love Studios, the comic studio and publishing imprint founded by Eisner Award nominated graphic novel creator and award-winning television writer-producer Rodney Barnes, has announced plans to release a graphic novel adaptation of the classic 1970s film Blacula, according to the press release. Barnes has reteamed with his Killadelphia colleague and fellow Eisner Award nominee Jason Shawn Alexander to illustrate the property after securing the graphic novel rights from Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM).
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Barnes is the ideal creative to bring the iconic horror picture back to life in this all-new fashion. He is a professional TV writer/producer and a seasoned graphic novel developer. Expanding on the original film, Barnes’ Blacula creates a link between the legendary bloodsucker of the 1970s and our modern society, complete with all of its complexities.
Blacula was released in 1972 and rapidly became one of the year’s highest-grossing films, ranking #24 on Variety’s top films list. The original Blacula is largely regarded as one of the first on-screen depictions of a Black vampire, and it is credited with launching a wave of Black-themed horror films. Barnes’ creative interest was piqued by the film’s storyline and rich subtext. The original film presented cultural commentary that pointed to a deeper social and psychological curse perpetrated upon a whole people, using vampirism as a metaphor for slavery’s long-term ramifications.
Zombie Love Studios was founded with the goal of being a creative space dedicated to telling stories from BIPOC perspectives in a format where they aren’t typically told. This allows Barnes to simultaneously expand his creative footprint while also making a larger impact on the comic industry.
