[_____V_____]

September 24, 2008


As if Guillermo del Toro weren't busy enough, the director has inked a publishing deal with HarperCollins imprint William Morrow to pen a trilogy of vampire thrillers with Chuck Hogan.

First book, "The Strain," hits bookstores next summer.

Story will revolve around an invasion of New York City by a vampiric virus. Series will trace the roots of the vampiric race back to its Old Testament origins.

The books will be published by HarperCollins in the U.K., and a special edition will be published simultaneously by the company's Spanish-language imprint, Rayo, in the U.S.

Del Toro is currently readying to direct New Line and MGM's "The Hobbit," to which he has committed the next five years.

He's essentially booked through 2017, attached to helm a remake of "Frankenstein," "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," and "Slaughterhouse-Five" at Universal, as well as "Drood," based on Dan Simmons' novel.

Hogan has penned the thrillers "The Standoff," "The Blood Artists" and "The Killing Moon." Warner Bros. recently picked up his book "Prince of Thieves" for Ben Affleck to helm and star.