Nope, I did as well.Maybe Michael York in the starring role? He was, however, starring in the Musketeer movies at the time. Maybe if they had started with an actual origin story instead?
Torqumada
Sorry Torgumada, we will leave Richard Lester Musketeer films alone. They are two of my all time favorites .
I was thinking about Anthony Hopkins as the lead. Able to do both Heroic and also bring a darkness to the main character.
And while I not sure we need a origin story, so much as making the Vampire in the first film, the one he been hunting, who was responible for the death of his wife and kids.
Also I think we need a different director. I never been crazy about Brian Clement as a Director. One possibilty was a young director who done some televison work and was trying to break into film, rRidley Scott. In the early 70's he was trying to raise money for the film Thj Duelist.