Sony Pictures has released the first trailer for a new gothic horror film titled The Invitation, which is loosely inspired by Bram Stoker‘s Dracula and given a modern twist. The film was originally titled The Bride, and it stars Game of Thrones and Fast & Furious alum Nathalie Emmanuel as Evie.
After the death of her mother and having no other known relatives, “Evie takes a DNA test…and discovers a long-lost cousin she never knew she had. Invited by her newfound family to a lavish wedding in the English countryside, she’s at first seduced by the sexy aristocrat host but is soon thrust into a nightmare of survival as she uncovers twisted secrets in her family’s history and the unsettling intentions behind their sinful generosity.”
In an interview with IGN, Emmanuel talked about the film ,saying, “[Evie] doesn’t really feel like she has anyone. And so when this kind of random, long-lost cousin happens upon her life after taking a DNA test for fun, just to be silly or just for the fun of it, it really kind of draws her in because she’s someone who is really craving family and a support network again. She gets kind of pulled into this family with really high expectations, in a way. And yeah, like you say, be careful what you wish for because they aren’t exactly what she thought they were and they would be.”
According to Emmanuel, the film explores “being in a space where you are the minority, all of these people are very wealthy, white aristocracy. And Evie is someone who struggles financially, she’s not from a super-wealthy family, she’s a woman of color, she’s coming from such a different space. And so she’s already kind of on alert, on high alert, because she’s already at a kind of disadvantage in every possible way. But what they probably didn’t count on was how smart and savvy and the strength within her.”
The film is directed by Jessica M. Thompson with a script from Blair Butler. It also stars Thomas Doherty as Walter, Hugh Skinner as Oliver, Stephanie Corneliussen as Viktoria, Alana Boden as Lucy, and Courtney Taylor as Grace.
If this first film is a success, the plan is to launch a franchise. The Invitation will be released in theaters on August 26th. Watch the trailer and tell us what you think!