Underworld
Short description
Underworld is set in a hidden world where vampires and werewolves, known as Lycans, have fought a secret war for centuries without humanity's knowledge. Selene, a vampire warrior and skilled hunter of Lycans, has long been driven by a personal vendetta. When she learns that the Lycans are targeting Michael Corvin, a human caught in the middle of the conflict, she follows him and uncovers a conspiracy that reaches into her own clan. Their fates intertwine as she finds herself questioning the loyalties she has always accepted, while a Lycan leader named Lucian pursues a plan that could reshape the balance between the two species. The film is directed by Len Wiseman, whose first feature it is, and written by Danny McBride. Kate Beckinsale stars as Selene, with Scott Speedman as Michael Corvin, Michael Sheen as Lucian, Shane Brolly as Kraven, Bill Nighy as Viktor and Erwin Leder as Singe, among a credited cast of 31. Shot in 2003 for a budget of about 22 million US dollars, it went on to earn roughly 96 million worldwide, a strong return on its cost. Its ratings sit well above the critical response: 7 out of 10 on IMDb from about 300,000 votes and 6.9 out of 10 on TMDB, against 4.8 out of 10 from 161 critics.
What's left behind the scenes
- When Selena encounters the werewolf in the tunnel, wolf howling can be heard; this sound effect was directly borrowed from the classic “An American Werewolf in London” (1981).
- A pack of dogs chases after Michael. The only dogs they could find for the filming were so friendly that they had to overlay their cheerful barking with the sounds of real animal howling. But they couldn't manage one thing – it's clear that the dogs happily wag their tails while chasing Michael.
- The name Kraven in English (Kraven) sounds the same as “craven,” which means “coward.”
- Shortly before the premiere in the US, the president of Screen Gems approved not only the filming of a sequel, but also a prequel. The film premiered slightly earlier in Canada, and the box office returns for the first few days exceeded expectations.
- None of the characters mention the name of the city in which the action takes place. However, we can glimpse on Selena’s computer that the city is Budapest.
- The scene with the dog attack was filmed in 2 stages. First, the pack of dogs running with cheerful barking was filmed, and a little later, Scott Speedman running was added to the shot.
- Initially, this story was conceived as a unique interpretation of the classic love story of Romeo and Juliet, set in a world of werewolves and vampires.
- Michael Corvin, the hero of Scott Speedman, received his name in honor of Ash Corwin, Vincent Perez’s character in “The Crow: City of Angels” (1996). Interestingly, Ash’s name was Michael before his death.
- Michael Sheen and Wentworth Miller auditioned for the role that ultimately went to Scott Speedman. The latter eventually landed an episodic role in the film, which took only 2 days to shoot.
- The actors were given only two weeks to prepare for filming. Computer graphics were used in only a few scenes. To avoid using CGI effects, various technical devices were employed in the sound stages to create an effect of unreality.
- The name of the main character – Selene – symbolized the Moon in Greek mythology.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
