Seventeen years on from the acclaimed Anne Rice adaptation INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, director Neil Jordan returns to explore the mythos further with new film BYZANTIUM.

The movie – which has been trapped in development hell since 2009 – will tell the tale of a vampire who turns her daughter into a creature of the night, “forming a lethal partnership, sometimes posing as sisters”. Gemma Arterton (QUANTUM OF SOLACE) and flavour of the month Saorise Ronan (HANNA) will star as the mother/daughter pack.

Gemma Arterton will play the Momma Vamp…

…and Saorise Ronan the little ‘un.

Writer Moira Buffini (not pictured) has written the screenplay based on her own play ‘A Vampire Story’ (hmm, wonder why they changed that title?)

Not sure how much life is left in the vampire trend in this post-TWILIGHT world, but with an assured director at the helm in Jordan, and at least one of the leads able to act, the project sounds promising.

Bit sick of vampires, or thirsty for more? How on Earth do you pronounce Saorise anyhow? Let us know in your comments below!