Netflix Picks Up ‘Castlevania’ Adaptation From Frederator Studios, Adi Shankar

The man behind several gritty adaptations of 80s and 90s cultural touchstones now has one of that era’s top video game franchises in his sights. Adi Shankar, known for his work within the Dredd universe and for his 2014 Power Rangers fan film, will work with Fred Seibert’s Frederator Studios to bring an animated version of Castlevania to Netflix.

Castlevania, which has spanned more than 40 titles since releasing its first installment in 1986, follows an unyielding war that pits Dracula and his monstrous minions against the intrepid vampire hunters of the Belmont family. Castlevania games are typically action-packed, bloody, and gothic, qualities that mesh well with the style Shankar has displayed in his previous work (and, to an extent, in his fashion sense

For Frederator, which is known for TV programs like Adventure Time as well as its sprawling digital network, the Castlevania series marks a maiden voyage to Netflix’s shores. Back when this project was still just a rumor, Seibert hinted that Frederator had possessed the adaptation rights for Castlevania for 12 years. “But there were great characters, and a great story, and eventually we got it going,” he said at the time.

An exact release date for the Castlevania series has not yet been announced, but the project is expected to arrive at some point in 2017.