Abraham Lincoln hunts vampires in film adaptation

LOS ANGELES  - Tim Burton and "Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov are teaming to bring the new novel "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" to the big screen.

The book, written by Seth Grahame-Smith, was released Tuesday by Grand Central Publishing.

Burton and Bekmambetov are not attached to direct, but will produce the adaptation with Jim Lemley. The trio first collaborated to produce the animated fantasy "9" with Focus Features released last fall.

Grahame-Smith, who combined zombies and Jane Austen in the best-selling novel "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," will write the screenplay. Hollywood already has its hooks in "Zombies"; the book is set up at Lionsgate with Natalie Portman producing and attached to direct.

"Lincoln" is not set up anywhere, but Burton and Bekmambetov hope to change that soon. One of the factors that cemented the filmmakers' interest was a peek at an in-house trailer for the book.

"Lincoln" reimagines one of the great U.S. presidents as an axe-throwing, highly trained vampire assassin, promising to give new context to real historical events such as the Civil War and Lincoln's ascension to the White House. It begins with his mother's murder when he was still a young boy and his vow of revenge.

Burton returns to theaters on Friday with "Alice in Wonderland."