David Slade to direct THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER

David Slade (30 Days of Night and Twilight Saga: Eclipse), is in talks to direct period horror movie, The Last Voyage of the Demeter for Phoenix Pictures.

THR reports that the lead role has yet to be filled, but that Ben Kingsley and Noomi Rapace are attached to co-star. Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer and Bradley Fischer have been attached as producers since the beginning of this long-gestating project.

Bragi Schut wrote the script over a decade ago that tells the story of the Demeter, the name of the ship that transported Dracula from Transylvania to London in Bram Stoker's classic tale. In that novel, it washes up on the shores of England, tattered and broken, with one raving mad survivor.  

This film has had a number of directors attached to helm, including Robert Schwentke and Marcus Nispel. Stefan Ruzowitzky dropped out recently to work on the just-announced dramaBlackbird, which is to star Eric Bana and Oliva Wilde.

Slade's attachment to the project is surely to help it gain the funding needed to get production moving forward. It does not hurt that Eclipse's made nearly $700 million in worldwide boxoffice. Let's just hope that Rapace will still be available to star in the film. I think that this film sounds pretty darn cool and with Rapace attached, I am sold.

What are your thoughts?