Honestly, the first time you hear the title Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, it sounds like a joke. A high-concept prank. But when the movie hit theaters in 2012, it took itself surprisingly seriously. It didn't wink at the camera. It didn't play for laughs. Instead, it gave us a gritty, stylized alternative history where the American Civil War was basically a proxy war against the undead.
A big part of why that worked—or at least why it stayed memorable—was the Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter cast. They had to sell a truly wild premise with straight faces. You've got a future MCU star, a Broadway veteran, and some of the most reliable "creepy guys" in Hollywood all swinging silver-coated axes.
The Man with the Axe: Benjamin Walker
Benjamin Walker didn't just play Abe; he transformed into him. It’s a weirdly physical performance. One minute he's a lanky, awkward shopkeeper, and the next he’s spinning an axe with the fluid grace of a martial artist. Walker actually beat out some huge names for the role—Adrien Brody and Josh Lucas were reportedly in the mix.
What’s crazy is how much time he spent in the makeup chair. To play Lincoln across several decades, he had to age from a teenager to a weathered President. You can see the progression in his face, mirroring the real-life toll the Civil War took on Lincoln, just with more blood-splatter.
He’s great. Truly. He brings a quiet dignity to a role that could have easily been a caricature.
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The Mentor and the Muscle: Dominic Cooper and Anthony Mackie
Before he was Jesse Custer in Preacher or Howard Stark in the MCU, Dominic Cooper was Henry Sturges. He’s the one who rescues a young Abe and teaches him that vampires are basically everywhere. Cooper plays Henry with this weary, "I've seen too much" energy. He’s the classic mentor figure, but with a secret that adds a lot of layers to his relationship with Lincoln.
Then you have Anthony Mackie.
Long before he took over the Captain America shield, Mackie played Will Johnson. Will is Abe’s childhood friend and right-hand man. In this version of history, Will is a fierce fighter who knows the truth about the monsters hiding in the South. Mackie brings that signature charisma, but there’s a groundedness to his performance that helps anchor the more supernatural elements of the story.
The Supporting Players
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Lincoln: She isn't just a damsel. She gets her own moments of strength, especially toward the end of the film.
- Jimmi Simpson as Joshua Speed: You might know him from Westworld or It's Always Sunny. Here, he’s the loyal assistant who helps manage the "vampire problem" from the political side.
- Marton Csokas as Jack Barts: The man who starts it all. He’s the vampire responsible for the death of Lincoln’s mother, setting the whole revenge plot in motion.
The Villains: Rufus Sewell and the Southern Vampires
Every hero needs a foil, and Rufus Sewell is arguably one of the best "elegant villains" in the business. As Adam, the ancient vampire leader, he represents the literal personification of the evil Lincoln is fighting. Sewell has this way of being terrifying without ever raising his voice. He treats humans like cattle, and his plan to use the Civil War to create a "vampire nation" is genuinely chilling in the context of the film.
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Alongside him is Erin Wasson as Vadoma. She’s the primary enforcer, a silent and deadly presence who provides some of the best action beats in the movie.
Why the Casting Worked (and Why It Didn't)
The cast was stacked. There’s no denying that. But the film itself had a bit of an identity crisis. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (the guy who did Wanted), the movie is hyper-stylized. We're talking slow-motion axe fights on the backs of stampeding horses. It's a lot.
Some critics felt the Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter cast was almost too good for the material. When you have actors of this caliber, you expect a deep character study. But the movie often prioritizes "cool" over "substance."
Still, if you watch it today, the performances hold up. There’s a sincerity in the acting that prevents the movie from becoming a total B-movie schlock-fest. They played the tragedy of Lincoln’s life—the loss of his mother, the loss of his son—with real weight.
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Real History vs. Silver Axes
It's worth noting how the film weaves real people into this fantasy.
- Stephen A. Douglas (played by Alan Tudyk): Lincoln’s real-life political rival shows up, though his role is brief.
- Harriet Tubman: She makes a cameo as a key ally, linking the Underground Railroad to the fight against the undead.
- The Gettysburg Address: The movie even finds a way to give the most famous speech in American history a vampire-slaying twist.
It’s definitely a "love it or hate it" kind of flick. But for fans of the genre, seeing this group of actors commit so fully to such a wild premise is half the fun.
If you’re looking to revisit this 2012 cult classic, pay attention to the smaller moments. Look at how Benjamin Walker handles the axe—he actually trained for weeks to get those spins right. Check out the chemistry between Mackie and Walker; it feels like a genuine friendship born from shared trauma.
Next Steps for the Curious:
If you want to see how this story differs from the original source material, track down a copy of the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. It’s written like a serious biography, featuring "discovered" journals and "archival" photos. It provides a lot more context for the characters played by Dominic Cooper and Rufus Sewell that the movie had to trim for time. Also, if you enjoyed Benjamin Walker here, check out his work in Marvel's Jessica Jones or The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to see how much he's grown as a performer since his days of hunting bloodsuckers.