Daybreakers is a 2009 American-Australian sci-fi action horror vampire film written and directed by Michael and Peter Spierig.

As sunlight is deadly to vampires, they are active during the night, while underground passages and UV-filtered cars are built for daytime travel.

At home, Edward is surprised by his estranged brother Frankie with a gift of a bottle of pure human blood.

The gift reignites a long-standing argument – Edward refuses to drink human blood, while Frankie enjoys it.

The next morning, Audrey visits Edward and sets up a meeting with Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac, a human who was cured of vampirism.

Edward meets Senator Wes Turner, a human sympathizer secretly helping to develop a cure.

Having finally discovered a viable blood substitute, Christopher rejects the cure and calls in soldiers, who capture Audrey while Cormac and Edward escape.

The three survivors drive off into the sunrise with the cure that will change the general population back to restore humanity.

In November 2004, Lionsgate acquired the script to Daybreakers, written by Peter and Michael Spierig.

Daybreakers began filming on the Gold Coast at Warner Bros. Movie World studios and in Brisbane on 16 July 2007.

[4] The Spierig brothers wanted the vampires in the film to have a classical aesthetic to them while feeling like a more contemporary interpretation.

[8] Hawke was initially hesitant to join the production as he was "not a big fan" of genre films.

The website's critical consensus states: "Though it arrives during an unfortunate glut of vampire movies, Daybreakers offers enough dark sci-fi thrills — and enough of a unique twist on the genre — to satisfy filmgoers.

[12] Variety gave the film a mixed review stating the film had a "cold, steely blue, black and gray 'Matrix'-y look" going on to say Daybreakers "emerges as a competent but routine chase thriller that lacks attention-getting dialogue, unique characters or memorable setpieces that might make it a genre keeper rather than a polished time-filler.

[14] Roger Ebert also gave the film two and a half stars stating the "intriguing premise ... ends as so many movies do these days, with fierce fights and bloodshed.