Universal Pictures genre label Rogue has boarded Paul W.S. Anderson's Dracula project Castlevania, a $50 million video game adaptation, according to Variety.

Rogue will distribute the movie in North America and is also taking rights in the U.K., Spain and German-speaking territories. Crystal Sky Entertainment is handling sales for the rest of the world.

Anderson's script spans many time periods but mostly takes place in 15th century Transylvania. It reps a fresh take on the much-filmed Dracula legend, mining back to its genesis in the story of the Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler.

"You could almost call this movie 'Dracula Begins,'" Anderson said.

"It's an action/horror project in the vein of Underworld and Blade, and hopefully it will be a big franchise for us," Rogue co-president Andrew Rona said.

Anderson and his producing partner Jeremy Bolt are scouting locations in Hungary and Romania, with a view to shooting next spring. The castle interiors will be constructed in Budapest.

It will be Anderson's third video game adaptation, following Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil.