SCI FI PI

SCI FI PI visited the new Underworld movie, which is currently being shot in giant warehouses in the outskirts of Auckland and is posting this from a hotel room in the land of the long white cloud.

The prequel to the Underworld movies, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, takes us back in time for swashbuckling mediaeval vampires vs werewolves action.

Directed by famed production designer, Patrick Tatopolous, the film features the return of Michael Sheen as Lucian and Bill Nighy as Viktor, and sees the full appearance of Sonja, Viktor's daughter, vampire lover of werewolf Lucian and cause of all the fuss that is the thousand year war between wolf and bat, played by Rhona Mitra.

We can confirm that the production values of sets and costumes are extremely high, the story is bold and the pedigree is pure, with original director, Len Wiseman producing and writing, and Tatopolous having worked on the first two films.

The sets are immense.

As we get closer to release date we'll publish on-set interviews with all the major cast and crew, alongside pics and vids. As helmer Tatopolous says, it's the 'cousin' of the first two films, with the story focused on the history of the werewolves and their rise from slavery.

Cool things to get excited about are new and sexy vampire armour, Mitra in kickass form, big battles and a bold and brutal style to the film that pays homage to the original flicks, but takes the Underworld saga into new territory.