EXCLUSIVE: Blumhouse and Miramax’s Dracula film Mina Harker will not take place, Deadline has learned.
Blindspotting actress and #FreeRayshawn Emmy winner Jasmine Cephas Jones was originally slated to headline Karyn Kusama’s Mina Harker, with cameras due to roll in three weeks.
Production isn’t moving forward, however, and sources say Miramax was upset over creative differences with the filmmaker. The crew was informed hours ago.
The film should be set in contemporary Los Angeles and focus on the protagonist Mina Harker, who plays alongside Dracula in the film, while the classic Bram Stoker protagonist in the film goes by the name Vladimir. Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi wrote the screenplay based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula; both authors are frequent collaborators of Kusama.
Kusama produced the film with Miramax’s Jason Blum, Hay, Manfredi and Bill Block. Bea Sequeira is an EP and will oversee the film for Blumhouse.
Most recently, Kusama served as an EP and pilot director on Showtime’s hit series Yellowjackets. Before that, she directed the Golden Globe-nominated LA noir Destroyer with Nicole Kidman as cop on the sidelines.
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Jones received an Emmy Award for her starring role in the short film series #Freerayshawn for Quibi. She is currently producing the second season of Starz’ Blindspotting in Oakland, CA. Jones was recently nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role as Ashley in Blindspotting. The show was also nominated for Best Screenplay Series at The Spirits and earned a Breakthrough Series nomination at the 2021 Gotham Awards.