The film co-stars Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon, Zakes Mokae, and Joanna Cassidy.

Vampire in Brooklyn was the final film produced under Eddie Murphy's exclusive contract with Paramount Pictures, which began with 48 Hrs.

Despite this, Vampire In Brooklyn has become regarded as a cult classic and has been subject to critical re-evaluation especially towards Craven's direction, Murphy and Bassett's performances and chemistry and its blend of horror and comedy.

The wolf, in his true form as the powerful, millennia-old vampire Maximillian (Max), intervenes and is shot, but instantly heals from his injuries.

Seemingly the last of his kind, Max explains that a lone vampire is doomed and so he must find and fully transform the only known half-vampire woman to exist before the next full moon.

Unaware of her vampire heritage, NYPD Detective Rita Veder is struggling with the recent death of her mentally ill mother and is tormented by unexplained visions which cause her colleagues to ostracize and mock her.

Max uses his transformative powers to kill and take the guise of her preacher and a criminal, further guiding her down his intended path while causing her to distrust Justice.

He magically gives Julius' dilapidated apartment a luxurious appearance and successfully enthralls Rita, tearing off her crucifix necklace and biting her.

The next day, while investigating Julius's potential involvement in the ship murders, Justice learns that Rita spent the night with Max and is informed that Nikki's body has been found.

Max takes Rita hunting but she refuses to drink a victim's blood, causing her to grow weak, and she seeks divine help at a graveyard.

Outside, the thoroughly decayed and rotting Julius finds Max's ring and puts it on, instantly transforming him into a fully healed and restored vampire.

Charlie Murphy revealed that the film was initially going to be a straightforward horror movie, but Craven changed the focus to make the characters more relatable.

The next year, 1996, Craven moved on to the hugely successful Scream franchise, while Murphy began concentrating on more family-friendly movies, with his remake The Nutty Professor.

[13][14] On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 11% based on reviews from 35 critics, and the site's consensus is: "Neither scary nor very funny, this misguided effort never lives up to its premise.

Desson Howe of the Washington Post noted the film lacked tension: “It’s neither all that scary nor all that hilarious,” while Gene Siskel summed it up as a “clunker” despite Craven’s experience.

[20] The supporting cast, especially Kadeem Hardison as Julius, provided some comic relief, but the humor often fell flat, as Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly put it, describing the film’s gags as “lame.” Meanwhile, Angela Bassett, despite her strong presence, was underutilized, with Hal Hinson from the Washington Post calling it a waste of her talents.

[21] Ultimately, Vampire in Brooklyn failed to live up to its potential, with Caryn James of the New York Times saying it was a film that couldn’t capitalize on Murphy’s appeal, and Roger Ebert quipping, “to call this a comeback for Murphy is a sign of blind faith.” The film’s erratic mix of horror, comedy, and romance led many critics to label it as an “uneven” and “forgettable” misfire.

While not a total flop, Vampire in Brooklyn failed to meet expectations in terms of box office performance, especially for a film with such notable names attached.

Its quick decline in the rankings, coupled with a weak domestic gross, suggests that its mixed critical reception likely contributed to a lack of sustained interest.

[30][31] In the retrospective book Wes Craven: The Art of Horror, author John Kenneth Muir praised the film especially Murphy and Bassett's chemistry, the comedy, the special effect sequences, the score and the "overall 1930s–'40s mood" which he called "charming".

[34] Charles Pulliam More of Gizmodo touted Vampire in Brooklyn as one of the most "underrated horror movies of all time" and praised it as "one of the most unique films in its genre—and one of the best.

"[35] Monique Jones from Shadow and Act stated that Vampire in Brooklyn is one of Murphy's most interesting films due to how much of an outlier it is in his filmography.

[37] Stephanie Williams of Syfy Wire considers the film a "spooky-time favorite" and praised Bassett's performances, the humor (especially from Hardison and Witherspoon) and adds that "infusing Caribbean culture into the traditional vampire lore was an excellent choice for obvious reasons.

"[38] Cinema Blend's Rich Knight considers the film an "underrated classic", writing: "I don't care what anybody says, I love this movie.

Despite these creative clashes and other difficulties on set, such as tensions involving Murphy’s family and studio constraints, Craven acknowledged that it was "an interesting experience", praising Murphy’s immense talent, particularly his ability to effortlessly play multiple characters and considered the film a "good, fun little film," though he admitted that the script and production challenges ultimately limited its potential.

[62] Cinematographer Mark Irwin shared that the production of Vampire in Brooklyn was a “true nightmare.” He pointed to Murphy's lack of enthusiasm for the project as a primary factor.

Irwin felt that Craven, eager to break into the studio system, was “stuck” with Murphy, who seemed determined to undermine the film.

Co-writer Michael Lucker is happy about the legacy of the film: "What's strange is as the years go by, no matter where I go, there are people who love this movie and know lines from it.

It was a pretty awful thing..." Lussier also noted the creative conflict between Eddie Murphy, who wanted a film in the vein of Wes Craven's The Serpent and the Rainbow, and Paramount, which sought a more humorous, Beverly Hills Cop-style horror.