Luke Evans is Vlad the Impaler in First 'Dracula Untold' Poster

After playing key supporting roles in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and Fast & Furious 6, Luke Evans will lead what may be his own franchise in Dracula Untold. In the works for years and once with Sam Worthington and Alex Proyas attached, the film is directed by Gary Shore with Evans as the man who would become Dracula, and now the first poster has been released.

Both origin story and historical epic, Dracula Untold is based on the famous Bram Stoker novel but uses actual events to chronicle the rise of Prince Vlad Tepes before he became known as Dracula the Prince of Darkness. And clearly producers studied up on Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy for this image which shows a brooding Evans as his cape transforms into bats.

Also starring Dominic Cooper, Charlie Cox, Samantha Barks, and Sarah Gadon, Dracula Untold opens October 3rd.