Underworldmovie | 2003 May 2026

Forget the "bored rich folk in taffeta gowns" trope. In Underworld , vampires are organized, paramilitary aristocrats, and werewolves (known here as Lycans) are gritty, underground revolutionaries.

While early 2000s CGI has aged visibly, the creature suits created for the Lycans remain impressive. These involved actors on stilts with animatronic heads, giving the werewolves a physical presence that digital effects often lack. UnderworldMovie | 2003

Heavily inspired by the "Matrix-chic" of the era, the film is famous for its skintight rubber trousers and floor-length trench coats. Forget the "bored rich folk in taffeta gowns" trope

The cast is surprisingly prestigious. Bill Nighy brings a menacing, over-the-top flourish to the vampire elder Viktor, while Michael Sheen portrays the Lycan leader Lucian with a grit that makes him more of a sympathetic revolutionary than a mindless beast. The Legacy These involved actors on stilts with animatronic heads,

Though critics initially gave it a lukewarm reception, Underworld was a surprise box office hit, grossing over on a modest $22 million budget. It launched a five-film franchise and cemented Selene as an iconic figure in action-horror.