Abraham Lincoln had some pretty radical policies that were ahead of his time: the abolition of slavery and opposition to the confederacy… Oh yeah and a bit of vampire slaying on the side!
Well that’s the story according to Seth Grahame-Smith the author of ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ (Coincidentally also the author of ‘Pride, Prejudice and Zombies’ another upcoming adaptation). The plot is self-explanatory: Abraham Lincoln hunts Vampires. Grahame-Smith cleverly incorporates Lincoln’s policies, providing the death of Lincoln’s mother by a vampire, as motive for Lincoln’s desire to hunt the evil creatures and their slave-owning helpers.
It’s a rather unique concept and one that has evidently captured the imagination of ‘Edward Scissorhands’ director Tim Burton who told ‘The Los Angeles Times’ “I wanted to see that movie, I don’t know why. I grew up on weird and perverse movies and it just seemed like one of those kind of movies that just tapped into my subconscious.”
However Burton will not direct the movie, that role has been given to ‘Wanted’ director Timur Bekmambetov, instead Burton will take on the role of producer, explaining this move by saying “for some reason I have an easier time with [standing up for the work of] other people than I do for myself.”
Filming, which wrapped earlier this week, took place in New Orleans, a city that best suits the 16th century American architecture of Lincolns presidency.
Benjamin Walker (‘Flags of our Father’) with play the mighty Abe Lincoln, while British born Dominic Cooper (‘Mamma Mia!’) will take on the role Henry Sturges, a badass vampire slayer and Lincolns mentor.
‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ is due for release June 22, 2012.
