Dampyr: Watch the Opening 10 Minutes of the Chilling Comic Book Adaptation (Exclusive)

With each passing day, it seems as though a new comic book adaptation is announced that is inspired by any number of American storylines, as the Marvel and DC franchises have become the most profitable and well-known brands in movies and TV. The film Dampyr, on the other hand, looks towards other areas and perspectives to tell a thrilling and ambitious tale, as it is based on the Italian series of the same name that was created by Mauro Boselli and Maurizio Colombo and written by Giovanni Masi, Alberto Ostini, and Mauro Uzzeo. Ahead of Dampyr's debut on Digital HD on August 8th, you can check out the opening ten minutes of the film above to get a taste of the action.

Dampyr is described, "Based on the popular comic book series, Dampyr follows Harlan Draka, a con artist. Haunted by nightmares, Harlan Draka wanders through the war-torn Balkan countryside, making money out of ridding superstitious villagers of imaginary monsters. But after being hired by soldiers who are under attack by actual vampires, Harlan discovers the truth: he's a Dampyr, half-human and half-vampire. While trying to stop a Master of the Night and his undead army, Harlan will have to learn to manage his newfound powers and uncover his origins."

Dampyr stars Wade Briggs, Stuart Martin, Frida Gustavsson, Sebastian Croft, David Morrissey, and Luke Roberts. The movie was directed by Riccardo Chemello from a screenplay by Mauro Boselli, Giovanni Masi, Alberto Ostini, and Mauro Uzzeo, which was based on a story by Boselli and Maurizio Colombo.

Much like comic book-inspired projects have dominated pop culture, the horror genre is full of stories of vampires, making them one of the most popular monsters in all of cinematic history. Dampyr, however, is based on the Balkan myth of the dhampir, which are said to be the children of a vampire and human union. Not only does this new film honor the comic series it was based on, but its roots go back much further in how it depicts these mythical creatures.

Dampyr is said to be kicking off the Bonelli Cinematic Universe, which would feature adaptations of other beloved stories from the publisher. This movie is based on the first two issues of the comic book series, which runs to 300 issues.

Dampyr debuts on Digital HD on August 8th.

Will you be checking out the movie? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!