The unslayable tale: Dracula, adaptations and the role of the sequel

Abstract Dracula by Bram Stoker is one of the most notorious works appropriated by popular culture, proven by the fact that many who have never actually read Stoker’s work know and love the tale. Stoker’s legacy has never been out of print since its publication in 1897, and since then it has been the inspiration for countless pop-culture adaptations in many different mediums, such as novels, films, and plays, which have taken liberties with the original storyline and characters. Adaptation enables different cultures to access platforms for representation and inclusion, but to what extent can a work vary from the original source before it is considered something detached and different? The field of Adaptation Studies has attempted to answer this question, but the place of the sequel in the field has been difficult to discern and sequel adaptations have ultimately been stigmatized. By analysing the ‘true sequel’ to Stoker’s Dracula, titled Dracula the Un-Dead (2009a) and written by Stoker’s great grand-nephew, this article highlights one of the many adaptations that have contributed to the success and longevity of Dracula in the public sphere and attempts to establish the rightful place of the sequel in the field of Adaptation Studies.