View source for Underworld (2003 film)

{{Short description|2003 film by Len Wiseman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Underworld
| image          = Underworld (2003 film) poster.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Len Wiseman]]
| producer       = {{plainlist|
* [[Tom Rosenberg]]
* [[Gary Lucchesi]]
* Richard Wright
}}
| screenplay     = [[Danny McBride (writer)|Danny McBride]]
| story          = {{plainlist|
* [[Kevin Grevioux]]
* Len Wiseman
* Danny McBride
}}
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [[Kate Beckinsale]]
* [[Scott Speedman]]
* [[Michael Sheen]]
* [[Shane Brolly]]
* [[Erwin Leder]]
* [[Bill Nighy]]
}}
| music          = [[Paul Haslinger]]
| cinematography = [[Tony Pierce-Roberts]]
| editing        = Martin Hunter
| studio         = [[Lakeshore Entertainment]]
| distributor    = {{Plainlist|
* [[Screen Gems]] (United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Italy; through [[Sony Pictures Releasing]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Underworld (2003)|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|access-date=15 March 2021|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/62933-UNDERWORLD?sid=1017acfa-8528-4b95-a26b-0b9528c0b1b3&sr=9.59083&cp=1&pos=2}}</ref>
* [[Entertainment Film Distributors]] (United Kingdom)<ref name="bbfc"/><ref name="mojo"/><ref name="lum">{{cite web|title=Underworld (2003)|website=[[Lumiere (website)|Lumiere]]|access-date=23 July 2023|url=https://lumiere.obs.coe.int/movie/20357#}}</ref>
* Concorde Filmverleih (Germany)<ref name="lum"/>
* [[SPI International]] (Hungary)<ref name="lum"/>
}}
| released       = {{Film date|2003|09|15|[[Grauman's Chinese Theatre]]|2003|09|19|United States and United Kingdom|2004|01|29|Germany|2004|04|22|Hungary}}
| runtime        = 121 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 121:04--><ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/underworld-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zndgwnje | title=''Underworld'' (15) | work=[[British Board of Film Classification]] | date=September 2, 2003 | access-date=January 2, 2022}}</ref>
| country        = {{plainlist|
* Germany<ref name=bfi/>
* Hungary<ref name=bfi/>
* United Kingdom<ref name=bfi/>
* United States<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b885b2775|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113121411/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b885b2775|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2016|title=Underworld (2003)|work=[[British Film Institute]]|access-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref>
}}
| language       = English
| budget         = $22 million<ref name="mojo" />
| gross          = $95.7 million<ref name="mojo" />
}}
'''''Underworld''''' is a 2003 [[action horror film]] directed by [[Len Wiseman]] in his [[List of directorial debuts|feature film directorial debut]], from a screenplay by [[Danny McBride (writer)|Danny McBride]], based on a story by [[Kevin Grevioux]], Wiseman, and McBride. The film stars [[Kate Beckinsale]], [[Scott Speedman]], [[Michael Sheen]], [[Shane Brolly]], [[Erwin Leder]], and [[Bill Nighy]]. The plot centers on the secret history of [[Vampire (Underworld)|vampires]] and [[Lycan (Underworld)|lycans]] (an abbreviated form of ''[[Werewolf|lycanthrope]]'', which means werewolf). The main plot revolves around [[Selene (Underworld)|Selene]] (Beckinsale), a vampire [[Death Dealer (Underworld)|Death Dealer]] hunting Lycans. She finds herself attracted to a human, Michael Corvin (Speedman), who is being targeted by the Lycans. After Michael is bitten by a Lycan, Selene must decide whether to do her duty and kill him or go against her clan and save him.

''Underworld'' premiered at the [[Grauman's Chinese Theatre]] in Los Angeles, California on September 15, 2003, and was released in the United States on September 19, by [[Sony Pictures Releasing]]. The film received generally negative reviews from critics. A [[sleeper hit|surprise hit]], the film grossed over $95 million worldwide against a production budget of $22 million and originated a [[Underworld (franchise)|franchise]].

The film was followed by ''[[Underworld: Evolution]]'' in 2006.

==Plot==
For generations, [[vampires]] and [[Lycanthropy|Lycans]], an ancient species of [[werewolf]], have secretly waged war. The vampires gain the upper hand when Lycan leader Lucian seemingly dies at the hands of vampire [[Kraven (Underworld)|Kraven]], who becomes the second-in-command to the vampires' leading elders. [[Selene (Underworld)|Selene]], a member of an elite group of vampire assassins known as [[Death Dealer (Underworld)|"Death Dealers"]], continues to pursue the extermination of the Lycans despite other vampires no longer perceiving them as a threat.

After a clash with the Lycans, Selene discovers that they are after Michael Corvin, a seemingly ordinary resident doctor. Disregarding Kraven’s insistence to ignore the situation, Selene privately investigates Michael. The pair is pursued by a group of Lycans led by Lucian, who manages to bite Michael during their escape. Since Kraven was the only witness to Lucian's supposed death, Selene begins to suspect that he lied about the death and may be working with the Lycans.

Selene prematurely awakens [[Viktor (Underworld)|Viktor]], a hibernating elder vampire and leaves to hide Michael in a safe house. Selene binds Michael, anticipating the Lycans' bite will transform him into a werewolf when the full moon rises. As the two of them bond, she gradually tells him more about her past, revealing that Viktor adopted her and turned her into a vampire after her family's death at the hands of Lycans, leading her to start a vengeful campaign against them, and that Michael's hallucinations are memories that Lucian passed down to him.

Selene returns to her coven's mansion. Furious about being woken early, Viktor refuses to believe Selene's warnings about Kraven's treachery and reminds her that his fellow elder [[Marcus Corvinus (Underworld)|Marcus]] was supposed to be awakened before him. Meanwhile, en route to the mansion to awaken Marcus, vampire elder [[Amelia (Underworld)|Amelia]], the coven's current ruler, is ambushed and killed by Lycans, who have tracked her with Kraven's assistance.

Selene escapes the mansion and abducts the Lycan scientist [[Singe (Underworld)|Singe]], while the Lycans capture Michael. While held captive in the Lycans' lair, Michael soon learns that Lucian was once in love with Viktor's daughter [[Sonja (Underworld)|Sonja]]. After he discovered their forbidden affair, Viktor murdered her. Lucian claims that Lycans were once slaves of vampires, and the war began when they rose up against them and fought for their freedom.

At the vampires' mansion, a captive Singe reveals that Selene was being honest about Kraven's betrayal, and he reveals why the Lycans want Michael: vampires and Lycans actually have a common ancestor, which Michael is a direct descendant of. As an heir to the legendary "Corvinus" bloodline, he carries a unique genetic strain that could allow him to become a vampire-werewolf [[Hybrid (Underworld)|hybrid]], which Singe predicts will lack the weaknesses of both species. An angered Viktor then kills Singe and mobilizes the Death Dealers to raid the Lycan’s lair to kill the remaining Lycans, including Michael.

In the ensuing showdown between vampires and Lycans, Selene breaks into the Lycans' lair to rescue Michael. Kraven and Lucian turn on each other, and the former tells Selene that Viktor was the one who really murdered her family and only spared and mentored her due to being reminded of his daughter. Selene is forced to bite a fatally injured Michael, hoping to make him a vampire-werewolf hybrid, while Kraven shoots Lucian, killing him.

When Viktor arrives at the Lycans' lair after the battle, he admits to murdering Selene's parents and killing his daughter. He also insists that he killed Sonja for the good of his people and reveals she was pregnant with Lucian's child, an abomination in the eyes of the two species. Lastly, he claims that he made Selene immortal because he loved her and proceeds to fight the hybrid Michael. Initially overwhelmed by Michael’s strength, Viktor eventually gets the upper hand and attempts to strangle him. Selene rouses from her disorientation and kills Viktor by beheading him with his sword. Now enemies of both vampires and Lycans, Selene and Michael flee the Lycans' lair together.

Back at the vampires' mansion, Marcus, now the sole surviving vampire elder, awakens after Singe's blood seeps into his sarcophagus.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
* [[Kate Beckinsale]] as [[Selene (Underworld)|Selene]], a Death Dealer
* [[Scott Speedman]] as Michael Corvin, a medical student who becomes a hybrid 
* [[Bill Nighy]] as [[Viktor (Underworld)|Viktor]], the second most powerful of the vampire elders
* [[Michael Sheen]] as [[Lucian (Underworld)|Lucian]], the leader of the Lycans
* [[Shane Brolly]] as [[Kraven (Underworld)|Kraven]], a vampire noble who plots to kill the elders
* [[Erwin Leder]] as [[Singe (Underworld)|Singe]], a Lycan scientist who plans with Lucian to make a hybrid creature
* [[Sophia Myles]] as [[Erika (Underworld)|Erika]], a vampire [[courtesan]] who desires Kraven's favor
* [[Robbie Gee]] as [[Kahn (Underworld)|Kahn]], a vampire warrior who helps Selene
* [[Kevin Grevioux]] as [[Raze (Underworld)|Raze]], Lucian's right-hand-man
* [[Zita Görög]] as [[Amelia (Underworld)|Amelia]], a vampire elder
* Scott McElroy as [[Soren (Underworld)|Soren]], Kraven's henchman
* [[Wentworth Miller]] as Adam Lockwood, Michael's colleague
* Dennis Kozeluh as Dmitri
* Hank Amos as Nathaniel
* Sandor Bolla as Rigel
* Todd Schneider as Trix
* [[Jázmin Dammak]] as Sonja
{{Div col end}}

==Production==
===Development===
In 2000, Danny McBride met Len Wiseman through Nick Reed, who was the agent for both of them with intent for them to work together on a script the former wrote. While the plans for that film fizzled out, they did set out a plan to work together. [[Kevin Grevioux]] had graduated from [[Howard University]] with a degree in microbiology, but he developed a desire to study film in cinematography and screenwriting. He dropped out of graduate studies and moved to [[Los Angeles]], where he became an actor. He came up with the original concept for the film and wrote the original screenplay, which was inspired by ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' alongside his college studies, which based vampirism and lycanthropy on a viral mutagen rather than mythology. McBride and Wiseman soon stepped in to work on the script, which they soon set out to make a trilogy of films. Each received credit for their work on the film, and Grevioux also appeared in the film as an actor.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.the-trades.com/column.php?columnid=2573 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040710114841/http://www.the-trades.com/column.php?columnid=2573 | archive-date=July 10, 2004 | title=The Trades - Entertainment Industry Analysis }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://creatorsfortheculture.com/2021/03/08/kevin-grevioux-black-creator-behind-underworld/ | title=Kevin Grevioux - Black Creator Behind Underworld and More | date=March 8, 2021 }}</ref>

===Legal controversy===
The film was the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by [[White Wolf, Inc.]] and [[Nancy A. Collins]], claiming the setting was too similar to the ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' and ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'' games, both set in the ''[[World of Darkness]]'' setting, and to the ''[[Sonja Blue]]'' vampire novels. White Wolf filed 17 counts of copyright infringement, and claimed over 80 points of unique similarity between White Wolf's gaming systems and the film. These included some general plot points like vampires having superhuman speed or being able to disappear, and more specific similarities like a vampire/werewolf hybrid being referred to as an “Abomination”. White Wolf, Inc. also said the script was very similar to a story entitled ''The Love of Monsters'' (1994), which they published, written by Nancy A. Collins.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.white-wolf.com/News/underworldrelease.html |title=WHITE WOLF, INC. and author NANCY A. COLLINS sue SONY PICTURES, SCREEN GEMS and LAKESHORE ENTERTAINMENT for "Underworld" copyright infringement |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080212032144/http://www.white-wolf.com/News/underworldrelease.html |archive-date = 2008-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.white-wolf.com/News/underworldrelease2.html |title=Court Awards Expedited Injunction Hearing to WHITE WOLF and NANCY A. COLLINS in "Underworld" Suit |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080120183303/http://www.white-wolf.com/News/underworldrelease2.html |archive-date = 2008-01-20}}</ref> In September 2003, a judge granted White Wolf an expedited hearing. The lawsuit ended in a confidential settlement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avvo.com/case/view/collins-and-white-wolf-v--sony-pictures-11181 |title=Collins and White Wolf v. Sony Pictures |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608015709/http://www.avvo.com/case/view/collins-and-white-wolf-v--sony-pictures-11181 |archive-date=June 8, 2010 }}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name       = Underworld (Music from the Motion Picture)
| type       = soundtrack
| artist     =
| cover      =
| alt        =
| released   = 2003
| recorded   =
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      =
| length     = 1:07:07
| label      = [[Lakeshore Records|Lakeshore]]
| producer   = [[Danny Lohner]]
| chronology = ''Underworld'' film series soundtrack
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Underworld: Evolution#Soundtrack|Underworld: Evolution]]
| next_year  = 2006
}}
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r654653 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Underworld (Original Soundtrack) |publisher=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref>
}}
The film's soundtrack was produced by [[Danny Lohner]] and distributed via [[Roadrunner Records]].
Lohner (born 1970), a bass guitarist, guitarist, and keyboardist who has recorded with [[Nine Inch Nails]] and [[Marilyn Manson]], contributed several songs to the soundtrack under the pseudonym [[Renholdër]]. Lohner included a song by [[Skinny Puppy]], a Canadian [[Industrial music|industrial]] band; a song by [[The Dillinger Escape Plan]], a US band which performs an aggressive, technical style of hardcore punk called [[mathcore]]; a song by US alternative rock/post-hardcore band [[Finch (U.S. band)|Finch]] entitled "Worms of the Earth"; a song by [[The Icarus Line]], a band known for its abrasive form of rock music; and [[Lisa Germano]], an American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who specializes in alternative rock and [[dream pop]].{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Music critic Bill Aicher noted that the "soundtrack follow[s] in a similar gothic vein" to the visuals, and stated that it "does an excellent job setting the dark mood" by using "a veritable who's who in the genre", with an "impressive array of metal, hard rock, industrial, and otherwise gothic-themed tracks".<ref name="Aicher">"Maynard and Borland and Bowie, Oh My!". Music review by Bill Aicher http://www.music-critic.com/sdtrks/underworld.htm</ref> Aicher noted that since "a majority of the selections [are] written, produced, or featuring Lohner, the album retains a sense of cohesion throughout, making it much more a complete product than has generally been the case with similarly-themed products."<ref name="Aicher" /> In particular, Aicher praised the rearrangement of [[David Bowie]]'s "[[Bring Me the Disco King]]" (previously released in its original form on his studio album ''[[Reality (David Bowie album)|Reality]]'' earlier that month) as the soundtrack's strongest piece. This version of the song, which features [[Maynard James Keenan]] (from [[Tool (band)|Tool]] and [[A Perfect Circle]]) and guitarist [[John Frusciante]] (of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]), was praised by Aicher as "Dark, brooding, sad, and twitchy".<ref name="Aicher" />

;Track listing
{{Track listing
| total_length = 1:07:07
| extra_column = Artist
| title1       = Awakening
| extra1       = [[The Damning Well]]
| length1      = 4:15
| title2       = Rev. 22:20
| extra2       = [[Puscifer]]
| length2      = 4:39
| title3       = Throwing Punches
| extra3       = [[Page Hamilton]]
| length3      = 3:42
| title4       = Rocket Collecting
| extra4       = [[Milla Jovovich]] & [[Danny Lohner]]
| length4      = 5:42
| title5       = Now I Know
| extra5       = [[Renholdër]] & [[Amy Lee]]
| length5      = 0:57
| title6       = [[Bring Me the Disco King]]
| note6        = [[Danny Lohner]] Mix
| extra6       = [[David Bowie]] (featuring [[Maynard James Keenan]] & [[John Frusciante]])
| length6      = 6:06
| title7       = Optimissed
| extra7       = [[Skinny Puppy]]
| length7      = 3:49
| title8       = Down in the Lab
| extra8       = [[Renholdër]] & [[Amy Lee]]
| length8      = 1:46
| title9       = [[Judith (A Perfect Circle song)|Judith]]
| note9        = Renholdër Mix
| extra9       = [[A Perfect Circle]]
| length9      = 4:23
| title10      = Suicide Note
| extra10      = [[Johnette Napolitano]]
| length10     = 5:26
| title11      = Baby's First Coffin
| extra11      = [[The Dillinger Escape Plan]]
| length11     = 4:01
| title12      = Hover
| note12       = Quiet Mix
| extra12      = [[Trust Company (band)|Trust Company]]
| length12     = 3:10
| title13      = Falling Through the Sky
| extra13      = [[Renholdër]]
| length13     = 1:01
| title14      = [[Weak and Powerless]]
| note14       = Tilling My Grave Mix
| extra14      = [[A Perfect Circle]]
| length14     = 3:02
| title15      = Worms of the Earth
| extra15      = [[Finch (U.S. band)|Finch]]
| length15     = 2:35
| title16      = From a Shell
| extra16      = [[Lisa Germano]]
| length16     = 2:57
| title17      = Death Dealer's Descent
| extra17      = [[Renholdër]]
| length17     = 0:55
| title18      = On the Lash
| extra18      = [[The Icarus Line]]
| length18     = 4:04
| title19      = All of This Past
| extra19      = [[Sarah Bettens]]
| length19     = 4:28
}}

{{Infobox album
| name       = Underworld (Original Score)
| type       = film
| artist     = [[Paul Haslinger]]
| cover      =
| alt        =
| released   = October 14, 2003
| recorded   =
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      =
| length     = 52:20
| label      = [[Lakeshore Records]]
| producer   = Paul Haslinger and Lustmord
| chronology = ''Underworld'' film series score album
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Underworld: Evolution#Score|Underworld: Evolution]]
| next_year  = 2006
}}

==Release==
===Box office===
It opened at first place and earned $21 million during the opening weekend of September 19-21, 2003. The film grossed $51,970,690 in the US and $95,708,457 worldwide.<ref name="mojo">{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=underworld.htm|title=Underworld (2003)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref>

===Reception===
''Underworld'' has a 31% overall approval rating on film-critics' aggregate site [[Rotten Tomatoes]] based on 162 reviews, with an [[Weighted arithmetic mean|average rating]] of 4.8/10. The site's consensus reads, "Though stylish to look at, ''Underworld'' is tedious and derivative."<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/underworld |title=Underworld - Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> {{MC film|42|34|ref=yes|access-date=13 November 2024}} Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://m.cinemascore.com |title=CinemaScore |work=cinemascore.com}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] said, "This is a movie so paltry in its characters and shallow in its story that the war seems to exist primarily to provide graphic visuals"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/underworld-2003 | title=Underworld movie review & film summary (2003) &#124; Roger Ebert }}</ref> However, some critics were more favorable: the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' praised it as being "stylish and cruel, and mightily entertaining for certain covens out there".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bernard |first=Jami |date=2003-09-19 |title=A Sexy Vampire Longs To Neck |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2003/09/19/a-sexy-vampire-longs-to-neck/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=New York Daily News |language=en-US}}</ref>

''Salon'' reviewer Andrew O'Hehir gave a mixed review, stating, "by any reasonable standard, this dark vampire epic — all massive overacting, cologne-commercial design and sexy cat suits — sucks," but that "at least it gives a crap", conceding that despite the movie's flaws, the complex vampire-werewolf mythology backstory "has been meticulously worked out".<ref>[http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/movies/review/2003/09/19/underworld/index.html "Underworld" - Salon.com].

The film has developed a strong cult following over time.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}

{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606162031/http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/movies/review/2003/09/19/underworld/index.html |date=June 6, 2011 }}</ref>

===Accolades===
{|class="wikitable"
|-style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Award
! Subject
! Nominee
! Result
|-
|rowspan=4|[[Saturn Awards]]
|[[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film|Best Horror Film]]
|
|rowspan=3 {{Nom}} <ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.saturnawards.org/san30.html|title = The 30th Annual Saturn Awards Nominations|publisher = [[Saturn Award]]s|access-date = 2010-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041009185400/http://www.saturnawards.org/san30.html |archive-date=2004-10-09}}</ref>
|-
|[[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
|[[Kate Beckinsale]]
|-
|[[Saturn Award for Best Make-up|Best Make-Up]]
|[[Trefor Proud]] and Balázs Novák
|-
|Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Awards
|[[Scott Speedman]]
|{{Won}}
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Teen Choice Awards]]
|Choice Thriller Movie
|
|rowspan=2 {{Nom}} <ref name="teens1">{{cite web | url=http://www.hollywoodauditions.com/news/awards/teen_choice_awards.htm | title=Teen Choice Awards 2004 | publisher=Hollywoodauditions.com | accessdate=June 23, 2011}}</ref>
|-
|Choice Movie Actress: Drama/Action Adventure
|Kate Beckinsale (also for ''[[Van Helsing (film)|Van Helsing]]'')
|}

===Home media===
''Underworld'' was released on [[DVD]] and [[VHS]] on January 6, 2004 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Underworld DVD Release Date January 6, 2004 |url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/2921/Underworld-(2003).html |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=DVDs Release Dates |language=en}}</ref>

==Sequels and prequel==
A sequel, titled ''[[Underworld: Evolution]]'', in which Marcus fully awakens, was released January 20, 2006. The prequel ''[[Underworld: Rise of the Lycans]]'', which gives more detail about the creation of the Lycan species and Lucian's hatred, was released January 23, 2009. A second sequel, ''[[Underworld: Awakening]]'', was released on January 20, 2012, and a third sequel, ''[[Underworld: Blood Wars]]'', was released on January 6, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/underworld_blood_wars_2016/|title=Rotten Tomatoes|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=July 12, 2016}}</ref>

==Video game==

To coincide with the film's release, Sony Pictures commissioned video game developer [[Black Widow Games]] to develop a promotional tie-in mod for the video game ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]]'' titled ''Underworld: Bloodline''.<ref name="Switzer">{{cite web |last1=Switzer |first1=Eric |title=Sony Once Commissioned A Half-Life Mod To Promote The First Underworld Movie - And It Was Amazing |url=https://www.thegamer.com/half-life-mod-underworld-bloodline-history-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodhunt/ |website=TheGamer |access-date=31 July 2025 |language=en |date=3 May 2022}}</ref> The mod was available on Sony Pictures' official website until the end of 2007.<ref name="Switzer"/> An asymmetric multiplayer FPS, the game tasks players with choosing between Vampires and Lycans, engaging in objective-based combat across urban maps.<ref name="Switzer"/> Each faction features distinct classes, weapons, and movement abilities, while gameplay revolves around capturing or defending Hybrid NPCs across four maps, blending mechanics inspired by Half-Life's mods ''[[Counter-Strike (video game)|Counter-Strike]]'' and ''Vampire Slayer''.<ref name="Switzer"/> It is the only officially licensed Half-Life mod tied to a Hollywood movie.<ref name="Switzer"/>

==See also==
*[[Vampire film]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/underworld/}}
* {{IMDb title|0320691|Underworld}}
* {{ISFDB title|id=874733|title=Underworld}} <!-- novelisation -->
* {{rotten Tomatoes|underworld|Underworld}}

{{Underworld (film series)}}
{{Len Wiseman}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Underworld (2003 Film)}}
[[Category:2003 films]]
[[Category:2003 horror films]]
[[Category:2000s action horror films]]
[[Category:American dark fantasy films]]
[[Category:German action horror films]]
[[Category:Hungarian horror films]]
[[Category:English-language German films]]
[[Category:English-language Hungarian films]]
[[Category:Underworld (film series)|*1]]
[[Category:Films shot in Hungary]]
[[Category:Films shot in Budapest]]
[[Category:Girls with guns films]]
[[Category:Films set in Budapest]]
[[Category:American films about revenge]]
[[Category:Films shot in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Lakeshore Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Screen Gems films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Len Wiseman]]
[[Category:Films produced by Tom Rosenberg]]
[[Category:Films produced by Gary Lucchesi]]
[[Category:Films scored by Paul Haslinger]]
[[Category:British vampire films]]
[[Category:British werewolf films]]
[[Category:Films involved in plagiarism controversies]]
[[Category:British action horror films]]
[[Category:American action horror films]]
[[Category:2003 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:American werewolf films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s British films]]
[[Category:2000s German films]]
[[Category:English-language action horror films]]
[[Category:Saturn Award–winning films]]