The Big Picture
Night creatures are nearly upon us once again with the release of Castlevania: Nocturne on September 28. Before Richter Belmont takes up his family’s mantle to defeat the latest demonic force threatening all of humanity, Netflix previewed the first three episodes at their new digital showcase Drop 01. For viewers who missed the preview and aren’t entirely sold on the video game adaptation, the first seven minutes from the first episode of the prequel series have been released for all to see.
Castlevania: Nocturne takes loose inspiration from the Castlevania games Rondo of Blood, and Symphony of the Night, both of which prominently feature Richter. After Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard defeated Dracula and Death, and freed the world from the terrors of the night in the original series, a new threat rises in the form of the Vampire Messiah requiring young Richter, the last of the Belmont clan, to spring into action. Set during the French Revolution, the series will see him rise to lead the resistance against the vampires at the behest of Annette, a powerful sorceress from the Caribbean. The Vampire Messiah threatens to devour the sun, allying with the desperate aristocracy to grind the resistance into dust and enslave all of humanity should Richter and his allies fail.
If trailers are any indication, Netflix’s sequel series will also delve deeply into Richter himself and the pain inside his soul after witnessing the death of his mother. He and his allies, including the magically inclined Maria Renard, all have their share of trauma to bear during such a tumultuous time. All the dark drama is accompanied by gorgeous action and art from Powerhouse Animation Studios which have been quietly setting a new standard for adult animated series.
Who Is Aboard the Team for ‘Castlevania: Nocturne’?
Richard Bluemel and Pixie Davies lead the cast of Nocturne as Richter and Maria respectively with Thuso Mbedu as Annette, Sydney James Harcourt as Edouard, Nastassja Kinski as Tera, Zahn McClarnon as Olrox, and Franka Potente as Erzsebet Báthory, better known as the prophesied Vampire Messiah. Rounding out the bunch are Sharon D. Clarke, Richard Dormer, Iain Glen, Elarica Johnson, Aaron Neil, and Sophie Skelton.
The series hails from showrunner Kevin Kolde and creator Clive Bradley, the former of whom was a co-showrunner on the original Castlevania. Another holdover from that series is Adi Shankar who is back as an executive producer. Nocturne isn’t the only project Shankar is involved with that showed up at Drop 01, as he’s also the creator behind the recently unveiled Devil May Cry series and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix.
Castlevania: Nocturne premieres this Thursday, September 28. Check out the first seven minutes of the upcoming series below:
