Van Helsing Reboot Nabs Writer

02/21/2017 11:57 pm EST

While much of the focus for Universal's "monsterverse" of interconnected movies has gone to Tom Cruise's upcoming take on The Mummy, there are still a few other films in development.

One of them, Van Helsing, the first attempt at telling the story of the famed vampire hunter since the critically-reviled Hugh Jackman version from 2004, just got one step closer to becoming a reality.

The reboot got Wrath of the Titans scribe Dan Mazeau to take a swing at the script, Coming Soon reports.

Mazeau was part of Universal's Monsterverse writers' room, a model that's become increasingly popular as these interconnected cinematic universes become more common. Hasbro, for instance, has a number of heavy hitters including Pen Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon and Eisner winner Brian K. Vaughan, on call for their planned cinematic universe, which could bring together characters like G.I. Joe, Transformers, and ROM: Spaceknight.

Previously, Van Helsing was being associated with Eric Heisserer (Arrival) and Jon Spaihts (Doctor Strange).

The character of Abraham Van Helsing first appeared in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. His character -- an expert in the occult as well as a formidable warrior -- has influenced numerous characters in comics and pop culture, arguably including Doctor Strange and the DC Comics hero Doctor Occult.

While his last starring role was in the 2004 movie (and its animated spinoff Van Helsing: The London Assignment), the character of Abraham Van Helsing has appeared in dozens of film adaptations, including eight live-action versions since 2004. The most notable among them are Dracula 3000 and Penny Dreadful.

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