25 Things You Didn't Know About Bram Stoker's Dracula

25. Coppola Found The Project Because Winona Ryder Left The Godfather Part III

In 1991, Winona Ryder was a busy woman. Starring in five major Hollywood productions in two years had taken its toll and by the time she had completed Mermaids (1990) she already had a sixth film gearing up to shoot, Coppola's The Godfather Part III.

Ryder eventually bowed out of the project due to nervous exhaustion but would later bring the novel Dracula to Coppola's attention, including an early draft of the script written by James V Hart. Fearing she was out of favour with Coppola, Ryder managed to spark his interest in the project, repaying her debt to him over The Godfather.