CASTLEVANIA

Dracula’s Curse
„ The year is 1475 in the eastern European village of Lupu. Lisa
Tepes, doctor, and wife of Dracula is burned at the stake by the
inquisition for heresy. Insane with rage, Dracula unleashes an
army of night creatures to exact revenge and wipe humanity from
the face of the Earth. No one is safe from the spreading malevolent
and immoral onslaught.

„ The world’s only hope is a trio of heroes who together may have the
power to defeat Dracula and his army.
 TREVOR BELMONT

„ Last of the legendary

Belmont family of
vampire hunters.
 SYPHA BELNADES

„ A holy speaker with

the power of the
elements.
 ALUCARD

„ Half-human son of
Dracula and Lisa
Tepes
 BACKGROUND
„ New animated direct-to-video movie targeting 18-35 year
olds based on the Castlevania video-games series.
„ First movie of the planned trilogy (Lord of the Rings). Epic
story and characters.
„ Written by acclaimed graphic novelist Warren Ellis.
„ Based on the classic Castlevania game, Castlevania III:
Dracula’s Curse.
„ Not anime. In the tradition of “300” and “Sin City”.
„ Ancillary and merchandising opportunities.
 FACTS
ƒ One Of The Longest Running (21 years), Most Popular Series In Videogame History.

ƒ Over 20,000,000 Copies Sold Worldwide.

*60% in the US and Latin America
*30% in Europe
*10% in Asia
23 Titles Spanning The NES To The PS2 And Xbox

ƒ #4 In IGN Top 25 Videogame Franchises

http://wireless.ign.com/articles/749/749100p5.html

„ #15 In IGN Top 100 Games of All Time

http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_15.html
 CROSS-PROMOTION
„ Planned live-action Castlevania movie to
be released in Q4 2009 from Universal’s
Rogue Pictures. Directed by Sylvain White
(Stomp the Yard) and produced by Paul
W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Alien vs.
Predator).
„ Major next generation PS3 and Xbox 360
Castlevania game set for Q4 2009 release
as well.
 CASTLEVANIA SAGA OVERVIEW
ƒ Loosely based on Dracula folklore, the
Castlevania series was one of the
progenitors of the gothic-horror genre in
videogames. The earlier games were
platformers focusing on the exploits of the
whip-wielding, vampire-hunting Belmont
Clan as players struggled to eliminate every
last trace of the supernatural from this
world. The series saw a large change when
it made the leap to the 32-bit era with
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. That
game introduced what has been dubbed the
"Metroidvania" style of gameplay (due to its
similarities to the Metroid series), as well as
RPG elements such as hit points, level
progression, and spell casting. This formula
has further been expanded with the Game
Boy Advance and Nintendo DS iterations in
the series. Castlevania is unquestionably
one of the most consistently jaw-dropping
franchises in the history of videogames.
 PAST AND FUTURE GAMES
Year Title System
2009 TBD PS3 and Xbox 360
2008 TBD Nintendo Wii
2007 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Xbox Live and
Playstation Store
2007 Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles PSP
2006 Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Nintendo DS
2005 Castlevania: Curse of Darkness PS2 and Xbox
2005 Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Nintendo DS
2003 Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Gameboy Adv.
2003 Castlevania; Lament of Innocence PS2
2002 Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Gameboy Adv.
2001 Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Gameboy Adv.
1999 Castlevania 64: Legacy of Darkness Nintendo 64
1999 Castlevania 64 Nintendo 64
1998 Castlevania Legends Gameboy
1997 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Playstation
1995 Castlevania: Dracula X SNES
1994 Castlevania: Bloodlines Genesis
1993 Akumajo Dracula Sharpx68000
1993 Dracula X: The Rondo of Blood PC
1991 Castlevania ii: Belmont’s Revenge Gameboy
1991 Super Castlevania IV SNES
1990 Castlevania iii: Dracula’s Curse NES
1989 Castlevania Adventure Gameboy
1988 Castlevania ii: Simon’s Quest N
 DID YOU KNOW?
ƒ The average game player is
33 years old and has been
playing games for 12 years.

ƒ The average age of the most

frequent game buyer is 38
years old. In 2007, 92 percent
of computer game buyers and
80 percent of console game
buyers were over the age of
18.
-ESA
(Entertainment Software Association)
KEVIN KOLDE (Producer)
 WARREN ELLIS (writer)
Warren Ellis is one of the most prolific, read, and admired graphic novelists in the world and the creator of such popular series as
TRANSMETROPOLITAN and THE AUTHORITY. He's got more than 50 graphic novels in print, from the decadent science fiction of
LAZARUS CHURCHYARD to the weird alternate histories of PLANETARY. He has more trade paperbacks in print than anyone else in
the American comic industry.
Winner of the International Horror Guild award for graphic narrative and listed twice in ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY's 100 Most Creative
People and ROLLING STONE's Hot Issue (where his work was described as "more influenced by Jesus and Mary Chain than by the
Justice League, Ellis' characters fight for left-wing agendas over God and country, and kick puppies in the street") he concentrates on
creating and producing original material for comics and graphic novels. These include the successful graphic novels ORBITER,
GLOBAL FREQUENCY and OCEAN.
Currently, he is at work on an original TV series, DEAD CHANNEL, at AMC and is adapting the best-selling videogame, CASTLEVANIA,
into an animated film.
Warren’s first novel, CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, was published by Harper Collins in August 2007 with his second novel, LISTENER, to
follow in 2008.
Warren lives in southern England with his partner, Niki, and their daughter, Lilith. He never sleeps.
Notable Awards:
* 1999 Entertainment Weekly's Hot List
* 2000 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Writer: THE AUTHORITY
* 2004 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Writer: ORBITER
* 2006 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards – Nominee - Best Limited Series: OCEAN
* 2007 Eagle Awards:
* Favorite Comics Writer
* Favorite New Comic book (for Nextwave)
* Favorite Comics Story (for Nextwave)
* Favorite Comics Villain (for Dirk Anger)
* Roll of Honour
* 2007 Entertainment Weekly's Hot List
* Rolling Stone's Hot List 2000
* Sidewise Award for Science Fiction
* International Horror Guild Award
GOTHAM/KOREAN
CO-PRODUCTION
 MOVIE SYNOPSIS
The year is 1475 in the village of Lupu. A doctor named Lisa Tepes
treats a patient in her home medical facility. Suddenly, a group of angry
priests led by a Bishop show up at her front door and accuse her of
practicing witchcraft. With the blessing of the village’s inhabitants, they
violently remove her from her home and burn her at the stake. Dracula
magically appears before the villagers and warns them he will return in one
year to exact his revenge for the killing of his wife. After Dracula gives this
message to the people of Lupu through a magic mirror, a shadowy figure
advises him not to harm the innocent people who had nothing to do with
Lisa’s death. Dracula strikes the figure, possibly killing him…
A year later in the city of Targoviste, the inhabitants listen to the
Archbishop mock Dracula and celebrate the one-year anniversary of Lisa
Tepes’death. Dracula once again emerges, but this time releases his
monstrous minions onto the city. All Hell breaks loose and everyone is fair
game: men, women, and even children. The Archbishop meets his demise
in the onslaught. Dracula then instructs his evil army to attack all of the
other neighboring cities.
 MOVIE SYNOPSIS CONT’D…
Elsewhere, our hero and last of the legendary Belmont vampire hunters,
Trevor Belmont, staggers out of a bar and comes across the city of Gresit. Gresit is
in the midst of an attack by Dracula’s armies. Fascinated by this spectacle, he
draws closer to the main gates and then to the market place square. It is now day
time and Dracula’s forces are not present because they only strike at night. People
attempt to keep up their daily rituals. After interacting with some of the traumatized
population, Trevor is told an old legend of a sleeping hero underneath the city who
will awake to save the land when help is needed. Of course, this legend is highly
discouraged by the Church. At that moment, Trevor saves an old man being
attacked by a group of priest cronies. The thankful old man known as the Elder
reveals to Trevor he is part of a group of holy people called Speakers. The Elder
takes Trevor back to the Speaker lodgings, an old run down barn, to meet the other
Speakers. The Speakers are in hiding because the church publically blamed them
for the demon invasion in order to cover up the truth that the church itself is really
responsible. The Speakers are generally a nomadic group, but have remained in
Gresit to assist her people. The Speakers are also staying because the Elder
Speaker’s granddaughter, a Speaker herself, went searching for the sleeping savior
underneath the city, but has not returned. Feeling a sense of companionship with
the Speakers, Trevor proposes a deal: if he finds the Elder’s granddaughter, the
Speakers will leave and go to a safer place.
 MOVIE SYNOPSIS CONT’D…
Trevor travels though Gresit's catacombs to an underground hall. He
finds a statue of a woman with Speaker robes named Sypha. He is
attacked by a Cyclops that has the ability to shoot stone-turning rays out of
its eyes. Trevor kills it with his superior fighting skills. With the defeat of
the Cyclops, the statue magically becomes flesh and blood. As Sypha
regains consciousness, Trevor convinces her to leave with him and go
back to her grandfather.
Trevor confronts the village headman known as the Domn and fails to
persuade him to protect the Speakers. The Domn claims he is powerless
because the city is under the control of the Church. At his last point of
hopelessness, Trevor is escorted by some priest cronies and brought to the
Bishop who led the killing of Lisa Tepes. The Bishop orders Trevor to
leave Gresit because he believes the Belmont family lineage is responsible
in part for the present carnage. The Bishop informs Trevor he will
exterminate the Speakers as well. In one last attempt, Trevor pleads with
the Speakers to leave Gresit, but the Speakers refuse once again. This
time, it is the Speakers who convince Trevor to stay and defend Gresit.
 MOVIE SYNOPSIS CONT’D…
The priests storm the Speaker’s barn, but the Speakers are all gone,
safely hidden in the underground hall where Trevor fought the Cyclops.
While Trevor fights off the priest cronies, the people of Gresit finally come
to their senses and assist Trevor in combat. Dracula’s forces attack the
city as night falls. They sneak into the church and slay the Bishop. The
civilians follow Trevor into battle and engage the demons for the first time,
killing many in the process. While the battle ensues, the ground collapses
and Trevor and Sypha fall deep into the catacombs. They avoid many
deadly traps until they hit a central chamber. A coffin lies in the chamber
with pipes connected to it. Trevor accidentally stands on a flag stance and
triggers a mechanism that opens the coffin. A pale figure rises. He is
Alucard, the shadowy figure from the beginning of the story who warned
Dracula not to harm innocent people. Believing he’s Dracula, Trevor
attacks him. Just before Alucard wins, he discloses to Sypha and Trevor
he is Dracula’s son and the prophesized sleeping savior. Alucard has
vowed to stop his father’s reign of terror because it is what his mother
would have wanted. All three of them leave the central chamber together
ready to confront Dracula.