Giancarlo Esposito Joins Radio Silence’s Universal Monster Movie

With filming currently underway, Deadline is reporting that Giancarlo Esposito is the latest to join the untitled Universal Monster movie from Scream VI directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. It’s currently unknown who Esposito will be playing in the film, and with the entire plot of the new movie being kept under wraps, it’s anyone’s guess how the actor will figure into the plot. He joins the previously announced actors Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Kevin Durand, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud, and Will Catlett. The untitled Universal Monster movie is currently slated to hit theaters on April 19, 2024.

Even if official details about the plot have yet to be revealed, The Hollywood Reporter previously claimed that, before the project officially started to move forward, it was a script titled Dracula’s Daughter. The outlet noted, “That project centered on a group of kidnappers who abduct a band of young people, one of whom ends up being the titular character. Woe then betides the kidnappers.”

Other reports have speculated that Barrera would be playing the daughter of Dracula, with it then being possible Esposito could be playing the iconic ghoul. Even though all of these details are being kept secret, the directors previously shared that we can expect an unexpected take on the iconic figures as opposed to being a straightforward rehash of a familiar premise.

“It’s a Universal Monster movie and that, for us, is insane that we’re making a Universal Monster movie,” Bettinelli-Olpin shared with ComicBook.com. “We are, as the guys who brought you Scream 5 and 6, very much fans of original, standalone movies. Kids of the ’80s and ’90s, we miss that. Obviously, that’s not really where the world is right now, especially with studio movies, and that’s fine, because there’s other ways to do that. And I think our approach is always, it sounds weird, but that’s our approach on Scream 5 and Scream 6 and that’s our approach on this one. Let’s make this original movie, it’s a standalone movie, there is a monster in it, that much is for sure.”

He continued, “It’s Universal doing their thing, where they’re giving different filmmakers, ‘Here, take this and run with it.’ That, for us, is exciting as filmmakers to be going into making this movie. It’s also really exciting to watch other filmmakers put their stamp on something we know from growing up.”

Gillett added, “It’s a weird, original way into a classic universe.”

The untitled Universal Monster movie is currently slated to hit theaters on April 19, 2024.

Are you looking forward to the new movie? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!