Daybreakers is an upcoming 2010 vampire film written and directed by Peter and Michael Spierig. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill. Filming took place in Australia from July to September 2007. Daybreakers is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2010 and in North America on January 8, 2010.

Premise

With an explosive bat screech, “Daybreakers” flies to the year 2019, a future where Earth has been plagued by a worldwide vampiric outbreak. But this isn’t a world rife with anarchy. Society is much like it is now - everyday life soldiers on, but now the politicians, workers, and inhabitants have pointed teeth and a thirst for blood. Life is now conducted by night, and things seem orderly, except for one big problem- the blood is running out. There’s not enough “food” to feed the world and scientists like Ethan Hawke’s Edward are hired with the task of finding a substitute - not a “True Blood” sort of dish for political correctness, but a source of nourishment that will end the rapidly increasing starvation the world faces, as starving bloodsuckers turn into “subsiders” — a sort of human-sized vampire bat. Meanwhile, desperate for food, the military vampires hunt the streets for the human stragglers who have not been changed. At the head of both quests is blood-centric businessman Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) - a man who loves his undead life and the human reality it saved him from, even though his turning lost him his human daughter (who has run away to try and live out her human life).

Edward loyally works for Bromley, but he has ulterior motives for his faux-blood hunt. Sure, it’s his job, but he’s also a man who loathes who he has become, and wants a way to survive without drinking human blood. Just as his world is dark, so is his view of life until he’s literally slammed with a dose of daylight. When he comes across a band of underground humans - led by Audrey (Claudia Karvan) and Elvis (Willem Dafoe) - who are fighting to stay alive, Edward discovers a secret that might do a lot more than end his need for blood - it could save the human race.

Cast

• Ethan Hawke as Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who tries to save humanity from extinction and the vampires from starvation by finding a blood substitute. He mourns his lost humanity and doesn't believe in drinking blood; he drinks pig blood instead. However, that's still a rarity, and he's already beggining to show signs of mutation
• Willem Dafoe as Elvis, a "cured" vampire who duels with Hawke's character.
• Sam Neill as Charles Bromley, a vampire in charge of a powerful corporation, where they farm blood. If a blood substitute is found, he would still sell blood, knowing that they would pay top dollar for the real thing.
• Claudia Karvan as Audrey Bennett, Edward's love interest who seeks his help.
• Isabel Lucas as Alison Bromley, the human daughter of Charles Bromley.
• Vince Colosimo as Christopher.

Production

In November 2004, Lionsgate acquired the script to Daybreakers, written by Peter and Michael Spierig. The brothers, who directed Undead (2003), were attached to direct Daybreakers. In September 2006, the brothers received financing from Film Finance Corporation Australia, with production set to take place in Queensland. In May 2007, actor Ethan Hawke was cast into the lead role. Later in the month, Sam Neill joined the cast. Daybreakers began filming in Gold Coast, Queensland at Warner Bros. Movie World studios on July 16, 2007. Weta Workshop will create the creature effects. The production budget is $21 million, with the State Government contributing $1 million to the filmmakers. Principal photography was completed on schedule in September 2007, with reshoots following to extend key sequences.

Hawke described the film as an allegory of man's pacing with natural resources, "We're eating our own resources so people are trying to come up with blood substitutes, trying to get us off of foreign humans." The actor also said that despite the allegory, the film was "low art" and "completely unpretentious and silly".

Release

Daybreakers premiered on September 11, 2009 at the 34th Annual Toronto International Film Festival. The film is scheduled to be released on January 6, 2010 in the UK, on January 8, 2010 in North America and on January 21, 2010 in Australia.

References

1. Crazy Official One Sheet for 'Daybreakers'
2. [1]
3. Vampire Group Shot in New 'Daybreakers' Still
4. Exclusive: Michael and Peter Spierig talk DAYBREAKERS

External links

• Official UK website