Seventeen years after tackling the vampire flick "Interview With A Vampire," Irish writer-director Neil Jordan is now returning to the genre that has a newfound popularity, with an upcoming female-led story that has two of the biggest rising thespians across the pond in Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan already attached to star. Titled "Byzantium," the film has now also managed to add another promising talent in the form of Brit actor Sam Riley to its ranks.
No word yet on exactly what role Riley will take in the film but it makes for another interesting move for the former 10,000 Things frontman who broke out with Anton Corbijn's "Control." His films since have haven't exactly made a mark ("13," "Franklyn," "Brighton Rock") but with this and the role of Sal Paradise in Walter Salles' "On The Road," things are looking a bit more positive.
Scripted by Moira Buffini, who herself has been involved with the dreadful ("Tamara Drewe") to the sublime ("Jane Eyre"), "Byzantium" will follow a mother (Arterton) who, when turned into a vampire, converts her own daughter (Ronan) into a bloodsucker as well, with the two going on to form a deadly pairing, occasionally posing as sisters. Caleb Landry Jones ("X-Men: First Class") is also a part of the cast alongside Bradley Jones and Daniel Mays.
Lensing has obviously been delayed from its originally planned October start but will take place in Dublin and Wicklow next month. Alan Moloney and Stephen Wooley are producing with backing from the Irish Film Board. [THR/Cineuropa]
