Universal Monsters brings back all things bloody with their latest vampire flick Abigail. Directed by Radio Silence’s very own Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the film serves as a modern rendition of the 1936 film Dracula’s Daughter, starring Alisha Weir as Abigail, a seemingly ordinary girl who happens to a be vengeful vampire child. When a bunch of misfit criminals led by the morally ambiguous Frank (Dan Stevens) are tasked to hold Abigail hostage in her own home, the team thinks it’s a piece of cake. But when team medic Joey (Melissa Barrera) learns of Abigail’s true sinister form, the team’s quest for a $50 million ransom immediately switches to the deadliest job of their lives.
Abigail is scheduled for a theatrical release on April 19, 2024. In the meantime, check out who’s starring in the upcoming Universal Monsters vampire flick.
‘Abigail’ Review: Radio Silence’s Vampire Flick Is All Guts, No Glory
Alisha Weir and Dan Stevens shine in a shallow if bloody new monster movie.
Melissa Barrera
Joey
Barrera takes center stage as Joey, the empathetic medic on board the team. Joey is responsible for administering a tranquilizer to Abigail, putting the little girl to sleep. A former member of the military, Joey is trying to earn money from the job so that she can properly leave the life of crime and reunite with her son. Although she’s part of a kidnapping crew, Joey has a high sense of compassion towards Abigail, which is why she initially feels sorry for the 12-year-old. What Joey doesn’t realize is that the sweet-looking ballerina she just sedated is about to kill her.
There’s no question that Barrera is one of the many faces of modern horror. Thanks to her iconic role as Sam Carpenter in the 2022 film Scream and its successor Scream VI, the actress has built her own legacy in the genre. Besides the Scream franchise, Barrera has branched out to other projects. The actress played Vanessa in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights and starred alongside Paul Mescal in the musical drama Carmen.
Dan Stevens
Frank
Stevens stars as Frank, the leader of the group. Unlike Joey, who knows where her morals stand, Frank has no difficulty in breaking any ethical code of conduct to get what he wants. The disgraced detective is many things: a bigot, somewhat racist, and easily prone to corruption. The ex-cop has made some very poor decisions in his life and isn’t afraid to make more of them. In charge of his team, Frank upholds questionable leadership values. Not only is he mistrustful of his fellow members, but he makes it a point to maintain a top spot and exert his seniority. Despite his many fatal flaws, Frank serves as the glue of the team, being able to operate together a gang of very unlikely kidnappers into one solid machine.
Stevens gained international prominence thanks to his performance as Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, followed by his role as the Best in the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Most recently, Stevens played the personal dentist to Kong and all-around animal expert Trapper in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Audiences can also see him in the upcoming Hunter Schafer horror movie Cuckoo.
Alisha Weir
Abigail
Weir stars as Abigail, the ballerina daughter of a wealthy underworld figure. Audiences first see Abigail as Abby, a helpless young girl who is chained to her bed. But the frightened child slowly turns into her true sinister form: an alpha predator vampire. With teeth as sharp as nails and a never-ending thirst for blood, Abigail has no moral qualms about turning her kidnappers into her next dinner. But before she sucks her captors dry, there’s no harm in toying them around. From possessing Sammy to dragging Frank up in the air, the child vampire is going to make them regret breaking into her house.
Before starring in this horror project, Weir was one of literature’s most iconic Roald Dahl characters: Matilda Wormwood. The actress’s role in Matilda the Musical put Weir in the sphere, eventually attracting the attention of the Abigail team. Despite initial concerns about whether the actress can take one dual persona as the innocent-looking Abby and the killer Abigail, Weir has proven that she can swiftly switch gears and deliver versatile performances.
Kathryn Newton
Sammy
Kathryn Newton takes on the role of Sammy, the go-to hacker of the team. Thanks to her solid abilities in all things tech, Sammy can get through even the most advanced computerized defenses – including the one shrouding Abigail’s mansion. Sammy’s not the type to be proactive on the team. More of a listener than a participant, she keeps a lot of things to herself. Originally hailing from a privileged, well-to-do family, Sammy’s in the mission not for some honorable deed, but simply to have a bit of fun. There’s no better thrill than finding yourself on the run from a murderous child vampire.
Newton’s acting career includes playing a regular on the TV series Gary Unmarried and Netflix’s The Society. But these days, Newton’s recent popularity comes from her role as Cassie Land in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The actress has then gone on to star alongside Cole Sprousein the lovesick zombie coming-of-age film, Lisa Frankenstein.
Kevin Durand
Peter
Kevin Durand plays Peter, the brawns of the crew. With an unmatched physique to boot, he’s more than just his muscles. The hard-drinking Peter bears a lot of guilt on his shoulders. For starters, he’s not entirely too sure why everyone’s so invested about kidnapping a young girl. All he knows is that he has to make a living, no matter the means. Whether it’s breaking into a stranger’s eerie mansion or putting a random child hostage in her own home, Peter sees all this as a mere job to provide for his family.
Durand’s acting portfolio goes all the way back to his role as Bazooka Marksman Joe in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Since then, he’s taken on roles such as The Blob in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Carlos in The Butterfly Effect. This isn’t the first time Durand’s going head-to-head with a bloodthirsty vampire. The actor is best remembered for his role as vampire-hunter Vasilly Fet on Guillermo del Toro’s FX series The Strain. These days, audiences can check him out in Season 3 of Locke & Key. Durand is also set to appear in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as Proximus Caesar, which is scheduled for a theatrical release on May 10, 2024.
Angus Cloud
Dean
Angus Cloud plays Dean, the final piece of the crew. As the gang’s reliable wheelman, Dean’s job is to make sure that he gets his partners where they need to be at the speed of light. No matter how fast his cars go, Dean remains calm and collected. Some might think of him as a bit of a sociopath, but Dean’s too cool to give a damn.
The late Cloud had a stellar acting career before his passing in 2023. The actor was best remembered for his jaw-dropping performance in HBO’s Euphoria, where he played the laid-back drug dealer Fezco. In addition to the action thriller Your Lucky Day and the drama film Freaky Tales, Abigail marked one of Cloud’s final screen appearances.
Giancarlo Esposito
Lambert
Giancarlo Esposito plays Lambert, the mastermind behind the team’s little kidnapping venture. Although Lambert looks like he belongs to an office rather than an actual criminal, he’s not to be underestimated. Lambert serves as the organizer of the team, making sure everyone stays on track with their initial goal. Whether it’s reminding the team when the ransom should be delivered, to confiscating all cell phones so that the police won’t track them, Lambert ensures everything runs that the entire run operation smoothly. That is, until, he discovers that Abigail isn’t as helpless as she seems to be.
A five-time Emmy Award-nominated actor, Esposito is no stranger to playing characters who belong to the wrong side of the law. Esposito had his breakthrough role as drug kingpin Gus Fring on the popular series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Most recently, Esposito stars in the AMC series Parish, playing former criminal Gray Parish who must once again return to his underground roots to avenge his murdered son.
Will Catlett
Rickles
Will Catlett stars as Rickles, everyone’s favorite member of the team. For starters, he’s a former soldier, so his track record in field operations stands. What’s even better is that he knows how to use a sniper. Influenced by his time in the military, Rickles has his own moral code that he follows. He’s loyal to the crew, but no one should ever test his patience. With instincts as sharp as an eagle, Rickles is one of the first few members on the team to realize that something feels very off at Wilhelm Manor. Unfortunately, his senses alone are not enough to convince the crew to abort the mission.
Catlett is an up-and-rising actor who’s currently making his mark in the world of TV and film. Having played in shows like Black Lightning and Constellation, he had his breakthrough roles in HBO’s Emmy-winning miniseries Lovecraft Country and the Sundance Film Festival drama A Thousand and One, the latter starring Teyana Taylor.
Abigail (2024)
After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.
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