Eli Roth in talks to direct 'Harker', with Russell Crowe as Dracula

It's been awhile since Eli Roth directed a feature film, with 2007's Hostel 2 being the last one. He's kept busy, though, turning up in Inglourious Basterds and having his hands in numerous other films, such as RZA's The Man with the Iron Fists and The Last Exorcism. But he may be about to step behind the camera for a film that would bring him back to his favored horror genre, and already has a big name to headline.

Deadline reports that Roth is in talks to direct Harker, Warner Brothers' reimagining of Bram Stoker's Dracula. When last we heard about it, Jaume Collet-Serra(Orphan) was set to direct it, coming off losing the live-action Akira gig. Russell Crowe has been attached to the film for awhile, but it was expected he would play Jonathan Harker, the Scotland Yard detective who tracks down the vampire lord. Instead, it looks like like Crowe will play Dracula himself, which should be friggin' awesome! Lee Shipman and Brian McGreevey wrote the script on spec, transplanting the Dracula story to England.

The plan is to turn this into a franchise following the Harker character, with Crowe only signed on for the first film. So it's possible that Harker will be taking on other supernatural mysteries if the film proves to be a hit.  If Roth signs and everything falls into place, the hope is to begin production early next year.