Underworld: Awakening

Underworld: Awakening
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Måns Mårlind Björn Stein
Produced by	Tom Rosenberg Gary Lucchesi Len Wiseman Richard Wright
Screenplay by	Len Wiseman John Hlavin J. Michael Straczynski Allison Burnett
Story by	Len Wiseman John Hlavin
Based on	Characters created by Kevin Grevioux Len Wiseman Danny McBride
Starring	Kate Beckinsale Stephen Rea Michael Ealy Theo James India Eisley Sandrine Holt Charles Dance
Music by	Paul Haslinger
Cinematography	Scott Kevan
Edited by	Jeff McEvoy
Production company	Lakeshore Entertainment Sketch Films
Distributed by	Screen Gems
Release date	January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20)
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$70 million
Box office	$160.1 million

Underworld: Awakening is a 2012 American 3D action horror film directed by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein. It is the fourth installment in the Underworld franchise, with Kate Beckinsale reprising her role as Selene. Theo James, Michael Ealy and India Eisley were cast in roles new to the series. Filming began in March 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The film was released in Digital 3D, IMAX 3D and 2D theaters on January 20, 2012.

Six months after the events of Evolution, both the government and the general public have become aware of the vampires' and lycans' existence. A program to study and potentially harness their powers soon escalates into an all-out genocide. Shortly after the "Cleanse" begins, Selene and Michael are captured by humans. Due to her enhanced vampiric traits, she is imprisoned in cryogenic suspension.

After being frozen for twelve years, during which both species have been hunted to the brink of extinction, Selene manages to escape. She soon learns that another subject, whom she initially believes to be Michael, has also escaped. While making her way through the high-tech facility, Selene has visions from someone else's point of view. Believing that Michael is mentally guiding her, she follows these "visions", leading her down a garbage chute into a labyrinthine series of basement tunnels. Here she encounters a young vampire named David, who has been tracking her. They quickly realize that the tunnels are infested with Lycans, who are hunting the subject Selene is connected with. Determined to reach Michael, Selene fights her way through the Lycan pack until she reaches the second escapee: not Michael, but a frightened and confused young girl named Eve.

Using David's van, Selene, David and Eve make their way out of the facility, only to be attacked once again by a trio of Lycans. David manages to shoot a lycan while Selene stabs another; the third smashes its way into the rear of the vehicle, where it bites Eve's shoulder. This triggers Eve's partial transformation, revealing her hybrid traits, as she savagely rips the creature's head in half. Selene realizes that Eve is her and Michael's daughter. Eve is believed to be the key to ending the war by "curing" both the vampiric and lycanthropic "infections". However, despite her hybrid nature Selene soon realizes that Eve's bite wound is not healing and she is rapidly growing weaker. David agrees to take the pair to his coven.