Collider received a small bit of news from Lakeshore Entertainment head Tom Rosenberg on the upcoming third film in the Underworld franchise, Underworld 3: The Rise of the Lycans, during the press junket for the awful looking Untraceable.
As we know, the film is set to be a prequel story and will not star either Kate Beckinsale of Scott Speedman. The current cast includes Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra and Shane Brolly and it is set to be directed by Patrick Tatopoulos. Here’s what Rosenberg had to say:
It’s a theatrical release definitely. I feel great about that. I think it’s the strongest story that we’ve put together of the three. I think it’s really terrific. I think it leads to a 4th. When we did the 1st Underworld, we imagined three–the 1st one, a sequel and then a prequel. The 3rd is a prequel, so the 4th would carry on where Kate and Scott Speedman left off after 2, so I think this is going to be terrific really this one.
I don’t know about you, but the Underworld franchise has actually grown on me to the point that I really enjoy watching either of the first two films, which means I am excited for whatever else they are going to churn out.
The latest version of the synopsis tells us this prequel traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Mitra), in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.
The pic is exptected to hit in 2009, most likely as a 1st quarter dumper, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be looking forward to it.
