Joe Hill’s recent film adaptation, Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story, aimed to captivate audiences with its gothic take on the Van Helsing myth but instead became a major failure. Released on July 11, 2025, the movie quickly earned a meager 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, marking the worst reception for any adaptation tied to the Stephen King son worst adaptation reputation.
The story, originally framed as a series of short stories, reimagines Abraham Van Helsing’s legacy and his sons’ battle against Dracula’s shadow in the American West. Despite having a promising premise and a solid lead performance by Titus Welliver, the adaptation failed to generate the suspense and excitement expected from such an iconic tale.
The Struggle to Bring Van Helsing to Life on Screen
Abraham Van Helsing, while a classic literary figure created by Bram Stoker, has never achieved the cultural prominence of his immortal adversary Dracula. Among past portrayals, Hugh Jackman’s 2004 film remains the closest major adaptation but still suffered from a poor critical reception, holding only a 24% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Joe Hill’s effort to bring Van Helsing’s legacy to life faltered for similar reasons. Critical reviews from outlets like RogerEbert.com described the film as “airless and underdeveloped,” highlighting the flat characterizations and sluggish plot development. Variety complained that the storyline
“drags en route to an insufficiently explosive climax,”
underscoring the lack of the promised tension and horror thrills. Audience reactions reflected this disappointment, lamenting the uninspired portrayal of a revered figure in gothic horror.
Though ambitious in its vision to set Van Helsing’s struggle on the backdrop of 20th century America, the movie ultimately failed to capture the essential elements of terror and excitement that an interpretation of this myth should deliver.
Impact on Joe Hill’s Growing Reputation in Hollywood
With a legacy tied to his father, Stephen King, Joe Hillström King entered the horror scene with significant expectations. His earlier projects, including the acclaimed The Black Phone (2021) featuring Ethan Hawke and the Netflix series Locke & Key (2020-22), both enjoyed positive receptions with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 81% and 68%, respectively.
However, Abraham’s Boys marks a steep decline in Hill’s record, representing the lowest critical approval rating of his film adaptations so far. The story tracks the Van Helsing family saga as Abraham crosses the Atlantic, attempting to escape a dangerous past linked to Dracula, while his sons Max and Rudy must face the dark consequences left behind.
Part of the film’s struggle in drawing audiences could be attributed to intense competition from contemporary blockbusters such as Superman, Formula 1 racing films, and Jurassic World Rebirth, which dominated theaters at the same time. This crowded marketplace likely hindered the box office performance of Joe Hill’s project.
Comparing Joe Hill’s Adaptations Over Time
Joe Hill’s body of work for screen adaptations so far includes:
- The Black Phone (2021): Featuring Ethan Hawke, this film secured an 81% rating, widely praised for its thrilling horror elements and strong performances.
- Locke & Key (2020-22): The Netflix series earned a respectable 68%, appreciated for its fantasy and supernatural storylines.
- Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story (2025): This live-action adaptation currently holds the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score at 31%, signaling significant dissatisfaction among critics and viewers.
The Larger Context of Van Helsing Adaptations and Their Cultural Reception
Though Van Helsing remains a crucial figure within the Dracula mythos, successful adaptations featuring him have been rare. Unlike Dracula, who frequently stars as a protagonist or antagonist in numerous popular media, Van Helsing has often been relegated to a supporting or secondary role, limiting opportunities for story expansion.
Joe Hill’s attempt to center a film on Van Helsing’s family, specifically focusing on his sons Max and Rudy, was an effort to breathe new life into this side of the gothic legend. Unfortunately, the result did not meet expectations for either suspense or narrative depth, weakening the family’s legacy in cinematic form.
What Lies Ahead for Joe Hill After This Setback
Joe Hill’s Abraham’s Boys sets a troubling benchmark in his developing Hollywood career by registering the lowest critical acclaim among his adaptations to date. This makes the film a turning point for the Stephen King son worst adaptation trajectory, suggesting a need for reevaluation of how his stories are translated from page to screen.
Despite the disappointment, Hill’s prior successes indicate potential for future projects to regain critical favor. For now, the shadow cast by this film’s failure will likely linger, creating pressure for his next productions to avoid similarly harsh criticism and to restore audience confidence.
Audiences and fans of Joe Hill’s horror renaissance are invited to share their views on Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story and discuss whether the movie’s failure is a rare stumble or a sign of deeper challenges in adapting his work.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How high is Stephen King’s IQ?
A. Stephen King is an American writer known for horror and supernatural stories. He is widely recognized as a very successful author today.
King’s IQ is reported to be about 130. His skill in creating gripping and suspenseful stories has gained him many fans and praise.
