FAQ

In ancient times, when werewolves were stuck in their werewolf forms 24/7 and were brutal enemies of vampires, a werewolf baby is born that has the ability to change between werewolf and human form. Naming him Lucian, vampire elder Viktor (Bill Nighy) raises the young Lycan in captivity, forcing him to feed on humans and create more of his kind to be used as slaves to the vampires. When Lucian (Michael Sheen) and Viktor's vampire daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra) grow up and fall in love, they plot to release Lucian from his enslavement and run away together. However, nothing (and no one) can escape from Viktor's cruelty.

Rise of the Lycans is the third movie in the Underworld series, preceded by Underworld (2003) (2003) and Underworld: Evolution (2006) (2006), and followed by Underworld: Awakening (2012) (2012) and Underworld: Blood Wars (2016) (2016). Underworld and Underworld: Evolution were based on original screenplays by American screenwriters Kevin Grevioux, Danny McBride, and Len Wiseman. They were subsequently novelized as Underworld (2003) and Underworld: Evolution (2006) by American science fiction writer Greg Cox. Cox also wrote a third novel, Blood Enemy (2004), which describes the Great Battle between Vampires and Lycans that took place over 1,000 years ago, but this is not the source for Rise of the Lycans. Danny McBride and Len Wiseman developed the screenplay for Rise of the Lycans. Cox has subsequently novelized Rise of the Lycans, which was released in December 2008.

Although it is the third movie in the Underworld franchise, Rise of the Lycans is a prequel to the first two, so it can be watched in either order. It provides the details of the story behind Lucian's comments in the first movie where he tells how Viktor had "his own daughter burnt alive just for loving me."

Back in the 5th century AD, a Hungarian warlord named Alexander Corvinus survived a plague epidemic that decimated his village. Corvinus had a rare blood abnormality that morphed the plague virus in his bloodstream, giving him superhuman strength and immortality. Approximately 200 years later, he fathered three sons. All three sons carried the same genetic defect as well as the virus of their father. One son inherited the virus in its dormant state and remained human. He died a mortal death, passing down the hidden gene. The other two—William and Marcus—were bitten by wolf and by bat, respectively, becoming the first werewolf and the first vampire. More about their fates and progeny are presented in Underworld.

No mention is made of Lucian's father in the movie. His mother is shown as a werewolf, so there are two possibilities: (1) Lucian's father was another werewolf, and Lucian is simply a mutant, or (2) Lucian's mother was human but got bitten and turned into a werewolf while she was still pregnant, making Lucian half-human and half-wolf (Lycan). Similar to Blade's origins. Most viewers favor the second possibility.

By the fact that Sonja is wearing the pendant around her neck in this movie, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) must be alive at this time, although she has not yet been adopted by Viktor and entered into the storyline. It's likely she was still a child and her father was completing work on the vault. While the events played out.

However, it is her voice heard narrating the prologue, and she appears at the very end of the movie in scenes from the beginning of the first Underworld movie.

The pendant holds one of the keys to William's prison (the other is inside Viktor), a prison that was constructed by Selene's father when she was a young girl. This key comes into play more fully in Underworld: Evolution.

Because they're in hibernation. Back in the first movie, it was explained that, 1,400 years ago, Vampires had decided that the best way to ensure the survival of their species was for the three Elders—Viktor, Marcus, and Amelia—to "leap frog" through time, one ruling while the other two slept, each being awakened at their appointed time according to a never-to-be-broken covenant. In Rise of the Lycans, it is Viktor who is awake.

The collars were made of silver. Lycans can't turn when silver is in or on their body. For example, Lucian was watching Sonja's death but he couldn't turn until he removed silver arrows from his back. The collars also have three silver spikes pointed directly at their throat. If the Lycans are to turn while wearing collars, their body mass, including their neck, grows bigger, which would plunge the silver spikes into their neck.

When a vampire drinks the blood of another vampire, s/he gains their memories. Viktor wanted to know whether Sonja was lying to him about helping Lucian escape, and the only way he could be sure she wasn't lying was to tap into her memories. This tactic is used again in Evolution when Marcus tries to drink Selene's blood and when Alexander Corvinus makes Selene drink his.