Name: Underworld (2003)
Director: Len Wiseman
Genre: action, fantasy, horror
Released: 2003
Duration: 2 h 13 min
Cast: Bill Nighy, Erwin Leder, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen, Scott Speedman

Overview

Underworld (2003) Storyline

Underworld is the 2003 gothic action horror film that threw vampires, Lycans and leather-clad comic book cool into one very moody cinematic blender. The story follows Selene, a vampire death dealer who has spent centuries hunting werewolves in an ancient war hidden beneath the modern world. When she discovers medical student Michael Corvin may be linked to a secret capable of changing both species forever, Selene begins to question everything she has been told by the vampire elders. Directed by Len Wiseman, the film mixes horror mythology, action cinema and graphic novel energy with blue-black visuals, rain-soaked streets and a world that feels ripped from a dark fantasy comic panel. Kate Beckinsale’s Selene became the face of the franchise, giving fans a stylish anti-hero who could brood, battle and reload in spectacular fashion.

action fantasy horror

Underworld (2003) Details Director, release, studio & more

Director: Len Wiseman
Release: 19/09/2003
Runtime: 2h 13m
Universe: IDW Publishing
Last Updated: 16 Aug 2026

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CMDB Review

8/10

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Who's In It

Cast of Underworld (2003)

Bill Nighy Viktor

Erwin Leder

Kate Beckinsale

Michael Sheen

Scott Speedman

Shane Brolly

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Trailer & Media

CMDB Review

Underworld (2003) Review 8/10

We have rated Underworld 8 out of 10, because this is exactly the kind of cult comic-adjacent action horror that knows what it wants to be and absolutely commits to it. The film is not trying to be bright, cheerful or subtle; it is gothic, moody, violent and proudly ridiculous in the best possible way. Kate Beckinsale is brilliant as Selene, giving the character enough icy confidence and emotional damage to make her more than just a cool costume and a pair of pistols. The vampire versus Lycan mythology gives the film a strong identity, while Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen add a level of dramatic weight that helps sell the ancient war behind the chaos. Some of the early-2000s effects show their age, but the atmosphere, creature design and action still make Underworld massively rewatchable. For fans of darker comic-inspired worlds, this is a stylish little monster that deserves its cult status.

Did You Know?

Kate Beckinsale trained extensively for the role of Selene and became closely associated with the franchise.
The film helped popularise a sleek gothic action style in early-2000s fantasy cinema.
Michael Sheen plays Lucian, a role that becomes far more important as the wider mythology expands.
Bill Nighy’s Viktor became one of the franchise’s most recognisable vampire elders.
The film’s blue-black colour palette became a defining visual signature for the series.
Underworld launched a long-running franchise of sequels and prequels.
The story centres on a hidden war between vampires and Lycans taking place beneath the modern world.
Selene is known as a death dealer, an elite vampire warrior trained to hunt Lycans.
The film combines horror, action and dark fantasy rather than traditional superhero storytelling.
Underworld became a cult favourite among fans of vampire mythology and gothic action.