Leonardo DiCaprio Revives the Man Behind Dracula in an Ed Wood-Style Biopic

Bela Lugosi is finally getting the full-on biopic treatment, and the team behind it makes a lot of sense: Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way is producing for Universal, and the writers who penned Tim Burton's 'Ed Wood' are back at the typewriter.

So, what is this exactly?

Per Deadline, Appian Way has teamed up with producers Alex Cutler and Darryl Marshak to develop a Bela Lugosi movie at Universal Pictures. Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski have already written the script. Universal has not officially confirmed the project yet and there is no title, but the pitch went out about two years ago. Small industry wrinkle: Cutler and Marshak are cousins and have wanted to make this since they were teenagers, so this has been simmering for a while.

The angle

This one zeroes in on Lugosi's early run: the Hungarian actor's immigration to the U.S., his late-1920s rise, and the lead-up to playing Count Dracula in Universal's 1931 horror classic. It will also tackle the downturn that followed, including him losing the role of Frankenstein's monster to rival Boris Karloff. That's a pivotal beat in his story, and it sounds like the movie isn't shying away from it.

Why Lugosi matters

Lugosi is one of horror's foundational stars. Beyond 'Dracula,' he stacked up a run of genre staples. And his smooth, elegant version of the vampire completely reshaped the character on screen, a hard left turn from the feral, eerie look of 'Nosferatu' that set the template for decades.

• The Wolf Man
• Son of Frankenstein
• The Black Cat
• White Zombie
• The Invisible Ray
• Dracula

The 'Ed Wood' connection

Alexander and Karaszewski wrote Burton's 1994 'Ed Wood,' the Oscar-winning film that featured Martin Landau as an older, struggling Lugosi at the end of his life. This new project flips the lens to Lugosi in his prime. Bringing back the same writers feels like a smart bit of continuity — they have a track record of digging into idiosyncratic Hollywood legends without sanding off the rough edges.

What we still don't know

Universal hasn't publicly stamped this yet, and the project doesn't have an official title. No other details were shared beyond the script being in hand and Appian Way producing alongside Cutler and Marshak. Given how long this has been a passion project for the producers, and the pedigree of the writers, it sounds like one to keep an eye on — especially if you're into classic monster lore and the messy careers behind those iconic faces.