The cast and crew of Abraham's Boys are shedding new light on the film's chilling reinterpretation of Abraham Van Helsing, the classic Dracula character. Based on the short story by Joe Hill, the horror film follows an aging Van Helsing as he tries to shield his family from the lingering darkness of his past. But as old horrors resurface, the story takes a tragic turn that leaves lasting scars on every character involved.
The Direct's David Thompson sat down for exclusive spoiler-filled interviews with the cast and director of Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story, a chilling new film that expands on the aftermath of Bram Stoker's classic novel.
The 2025 movie stars Jocelin Donahue as Mina and Titus Welliver, best known for Bosch: Legacy, taking on the iconic role of Abraham Van Helsing.
Directed by Natasha Kermani, the team previously dove deep into the film's haunting themes, character dynamics, and how Dracula's legacy continues to cast a long shadow over the Van Helsing family. In this conversation, Welliver explains his character's last words, "There's a myriad of stuff that comes through in that line." Kermani also talks through the fate of vampires in this world: "He's a little bit closer to like a serial killer." Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story is playing in select theaters nationwide.
Van Helsing's Final Message Explained
"It's Poignant And Malevolent And In An Odd Way, Loving And Vulnerable."
- The Direct: "At the end of the film, your character says, 'So you finally understand me.' It really stuck with me, such a powerful way to close the story. What's your interpretation of that line and the ending?"
Titus Welliver: To draw from another, there's a great bit of dialogue that [Marlon] Brando as Walter Kurtz in 'Apocalypse Now.' He imparts to Willard, and he says, 'Horror has a face, and you must make a friend of horror; horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, they are enemies. They are enemies truly to be feared.'
I think it's his way of closing with his kid. Now you get who I am, and you become what I beheld, and I am content that I have done right...It's kind of poignant. I mean, it's poignant and malevolent and in an odd way, loving and vulnerable.
There's a myriad of stuff that comes through in that line...[laughs] Whether or not I said it properly and projected, that is an entirely different story. But no, I think that you know that that line is a powerful line.
Do Vampires Exist in Abraham's Boys?
"He's A Little Bit Closer To Like A Serial Killer..."
- The Direct: "There's a read on the film where, by the end, Abraham feels like the real monster. When the credits rolled, I wondered: were there even any vampires, or was it all just fantasy? Am I alone in that?"
Natasha Kermani: That is my read, that is our intention...Joe's short story is very clear that...there is evil in the world, but it is a real evil, and Abraham's fear, whatever it is that's eating this man up inside, has manifested into this mythology, right? That, of course, places him, Abraham, at the center as the hero.
But the reality is, he's something closer to like Jack the Ripper, right? He's a little bit closer to like a serial killer or something like that. And to me, that's such a fascinating read on the monster movie, totally.
And in our film, every time you see the monster, every time you see the vampire, it is always through the lens of a character. So there is nothing. There's nothing there except ourselves...[laughs] Unfortunately.
Mina's Expanded Role in Abraham's Boys Explained
"We Don't Know If It's Real Or Not, But We Know That She Thinks It's Real..."
- The Direct: "Your character has a more understated death compared to the film’s later climax. So what was your interpretation of her death and the impact it’s meant to have on the audience?"
Jocelin Donahue: Mina in Joe's story has already passed. Natasha is taking this character and giving her some time, like we're seeing her last act with the boys. And I think that her purpose in this is to start warning the boys.
She's had this cognitive dissonance this whole time because she has been attacked by Dracula, and it's easier for her to believe Abraham's explanations than it is for her to deal with this trauma.
But I think as she's getting closer and closer to death, she's having some clarity of mind and realizing are vampires real? Is Abraham's explanations real? And I think her purpose is to reach out and to start warning Max about the dangers of their own father.
This is like a classic character in the Dracula and vampire world, where someone who can see and has this telepathic connection to Dracula, I think that's she's also a conduit...We don't know if it's real or not, but we know that she thinks it's real.
So I mean, she has, like, a function in the movie to kind of bring up these doubts for the boys, and then also doubt herself. So yeah, she's kind of a liminal character...She's a tragic, haunted character.
The full video of the spoiler-filled portion of the interviews can be seen below:
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