Smile Is A Vampire Movie 'In The Spirit' Of Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive, So Here's Our Money
If you're someone who loves vampire movies and appreciates the sheer brilliance of Nicolas Winding Refn's spectacular "Drive," you're in for a treat. According to Deadline, a vampire movie is in the works at Netflix, tentatively titled "Smile," which is being made "in the spirit" of Refn's "Drive." The project is expected to be helmed by "His Dark Materials" episodic director William McGregor, and the production companies involved are Netflix and Matt Reeve's "6th & Idaho."
Sinking fangs at breakneck speed
"Drive" follows an unnamed protagonist, who is a jack of all trades (and also a master of nearly all of them), working alternatively as a quiet stuntman and a getaway driver at day and night. Right when he finds himself at the nexus of a blossoming romance, he becomes a target for one of the most notorious men in Los Angeles, and after a job goes awry, he must do what he does best to keep himself and those he loves safe: drive.
Apart from possessing an arresting premise, "Drive" is breathtaking due to its vibrant, hyper-stylized imagery, its action sequences, and musical score. Refn melded "Drive" into an arthouse action film, which is hopefully something "Smile" is going to take inspiration from. While we are unsure as to how exactly the upcoming vampire movie is going to pay homage to Refn's classic, hopefully, "Smile" will employ stunning aesthetics that are reminiscent of the action-drama.
Here is the official plot synopsis for Netflix's "Smile:"
"Smile follows teenager Millie, whose life is turned upside-down when she's bitten by a vampire while traveling to LA with her school. Wanting nothing more than to be human again, Millie learns she can reverse the process if she is able to kill the man who bit her before the next sunrise."
This sure sounds interesting, although it is still too early to speculate specifics. McGregor has had extensive experience over the span of his career, having directed the Emmy and BAFTA-winning "His Dark Materials," alongside award-winning commercials. His 2019 debut feature film, "Gwen," premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has also won two Welsh BAFTA's. McGregor will be co-writing the film with Helen Kingston, who wrote the 2019 Lena Headey movie, "The Flood," which also starred Iain Glen and Ivanno Jeremiah. Kingston also recently worked on Joe Barton's upcoming Netflix series, "Half Bad," which is executive produced by Andy Serkis.
Details about casting or a tentative release date for "Smile" has not been revealed as of yet.