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We’re all familiar with classic movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, the Mummy, and the like. They’ve been around since the dawn of filmmaking, inspiring nightmares for generations. As the years have passed, remakes and spinoffs have continued to thrill audiences as movie-making practices have evolved. Some of the movies take on a morecampy style, such as the 1999 cinematic masterpieceThe MummystarringBrendan FraserandRachel Weisz. Others, likeThe Wolfman, lean into a more dark and gritty approach. While all the Universal Classic Monsters have always been popular with movie fans, Dracula was the first. That’s not to completely ignore the 1922 filmNosferatu, whichcurrently has a reboot in production, butNosferatuwas not part of the Universal troupe.
The first Universal monster movie wasDraculain 1931, based on the 1924 stage play of the same name, which was, of course, adapted fromBram Stoker’s 1897 novel. Vampire movies of all kinds have taken inspiration from the “OV” (Original Vampire), spinning new stories and tales of terror throughout the centuries. Some of the more popular films includeInterview with a Vampire, theBladefranchise,Lost Boys,Fright Night,From Dusk Til Dawn,30 Days of Night,Let The Right One In, and if it must besaid…out loud… theTwilightsaga.
With so muchvampire contentalready in existence, surely fresh new ideas are running low, right? Wrong. Just like they do in stories and movies, vampires continue to creep their way into the minds of creators looking to contribute to the lore. Vampire movies don’t even have to be scary anymore, consideringNicolas Cage’s hilarious performance as Count Drácula in the 2023 horror comedy,Renfield. Still rooted in horror, the lack of restrictions on genre and budget allows filmmakers to create new and innovative ways to make vampire movies unique and exciting.
It also can’t hurt that vampires are supposed to be immortal, which gives plenty of room for them to exist at any time.Dracula Untoldis among many other films that showcase the fanged creatures in both the 15th century and the modern day. Now, a new dawn is quickly approaching with a reimagining of the 1936 film,Dracula’s Daughter. Get your garlic and wooden stakes ready. This article will tell you everything you need to know aboutAbigail.
Editor’s Note: This piece was updated on June 20, 2025.
What is the Release Date for ‘Abigail’?
Abigailis set to awaken from her coffin onApril 19, 2024, nearly 88 years sinceDracula’s Daughterwas released. Also scheduled to open that same weekend is theGuy RitchieWorld War II action movieThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. However,Abigailwon’t be the only horror movie opening in April, asArkasha Stevenson’sThe First Omen, will hit theaters two weeks prior.
Will ‘Abigail’ Be In Theaters or Streaming?
Initially,Abigailwill have an exclusive theatrical release. The film’s performance at the box office will likely be an indicator of how long it will remain exclusively in theaters before moving to streaming. In some cases, movies have an overlap where they are released to streaming platforms to rent or purchase before the film leaves theaters, so it’s possible thatAbigailmight be available to stream by sometime in late May.
SinceAbigailis a Universal production, it will be made available to stream on Peacock for four months before moving over to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video service.
What is ‘Abigail’ About?
In a similar approach to the 2020 filmThe Invisible Man, which was a modern-day adaptation of the original 1933 film of the same name,Abigailwill be a reboot ofDracula’s Daughter, set in the present. There’s a twist though. The original film had an adult woman as the main antagonist, whereasAbigailis centered around a young girl.
A group of kidnappers abduct Abigail and hold her hostage, hoping for a large ransom of $50 million from her wealthy and powerful father. Seemingly harmless, the kidnappers don’t concern themselves much about their safety against a 12-year-old ballerina. They are instructed to watch over her in an old, yet luxurious manor until the ransom has been paid. However, none of them realize that she’s not trapped there with them… they are trapped inside with her. One of the kidnappers attempts to befriend Abigail to keep her calm as the group awaits further instructions, but shortly after, Abigailreveals herself to be a vampire. Seemingly invincible (except for the classic weaknesses like daylight), the kidnappers are forced to fight for their lives as the manor locks up and turns into a fortress.
The official synopsis from Universal reads:
Children can be such monsters.
After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.
Is There a Trailer for ‘Abigail’?
Yes;the official trailerwas released on Thursday, January 11 by Universal Pictures. Fitting for a ballerina vampire, the trailer opens with the melody ofTchaikovsky’s famousSwan Lake.
Universal released thesecond and final trailer forAbigailon August 12, 2025.
Who Stars in ‘Abigail’?
Alisha Weir(Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical) stars as the titular character, Abigail. The 14-year-old Irish actress made her acting debut in the 2018 horror thriller,Don’t Leave Homeand has since appeared in the television seriesDarklandsandWicked Little Letters.
Playing the film’s presumed final girl isMelissa Barrera, who introduces herself to Abigail as Joey when she attempts to comfort her. Barrera has most recently been seen as Sam Carpenter from the 2022Screammovie and its sequel,Scream VI. She has sinceleft theScreamfranchiseover controversy surrounding a post she shared on social media about the conflicts in Israel and Palestine.
Giancarlo Esposito, best known for his menacing villain performances as Gus Fring inBreaking Badand Moff Gideon inThe Mandalorian, will be playing the leader of the group of kidnappers. He appears to be the one who orchestrated the kidnapping and will be negotiating the ransom while the rest of the group stands watch overAbigail.
Kathryn Newtonwill play the character of Sammy, who appears to be the youngest in the group, seen in the trailer taking selfies with her cell phone as Esposito’s character lists off the rules they must follow. Newton is no stranger to horror comedies, as she starred in the 2020 filmFreaky, which takes a slasher spin onFreaky Fridayas she accidentally switches bodies with a serial killer. She also made her first MCU appearance as Cassie Lang inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
The other kidnappers includeDan Stevens(Beauty and the Beast) as Frank,Kevin Durand(X-Men Origins: Wolverine) as Peter, andWilliam Catlett(The Devil You Know) as Rickles.
Lastly, the lateAngus Cloudjoins the kidnapping group as Dean, in his final performance before his untimely death in July 2023. He was best known for his portrayal of the loveable drug dealer, Fez, in the HBO drama seriesEuphoria. He also appeared inThe Lineas Robert DeWitt andYour Lucky Dayas Sterling.
Who Is Making ‘Abigail’?
Abigailwas co-directed byMatt Bettinelli-OlpinandTyler Gillett. The two of them have previously worked together onV/H/S,Scream,Scream VI, andReady or Not. Given their slightly comedic direction for theScreammovies andReady or Not, it’s safe to assume thatAbigailwill continue to showcase their mastery of mixing horror and comedy with gruesome kills and hilarious one-liners. WriterGuy Busickalso worked with Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett onScream,Scream VI,andReady or Not, and is joined by co-writerStephen Shields. Shields is new to the creative group but has shown his horror-writing abilities inThe Hole in the Ground, which features a sinister child antagonist, andHunted, which also turns the tables on typical horror movie villain tropes.
The movie is produced byPaul Neinstein,William Sherak,James Vanderbilt,Chad Villella, andTripp Vinsonand is executive produced byRon Lynch, all of whom have previously produced a combination ofScream,Scream VI, andReady or Not. The only newcomer to the group of producers isMacdara Kelleher, who produced A24’sThe Green Knight,65, starringAdam Driver, andThe Pope’s Exorcist.
