WILLEM DAFOE - DAFOE SHARPENS TEETH FOR NEW ROLE

WILLEM DAFOE is to play yet another character with a thirst for blood in a new horror film currently shooting in New Orleans

After the Nosferatu-inspired Shadow Of The Vampire and the forthcoming chiller Daydreamers, the AMERICAN PSYCHO star is to sink his teeth into Paul Weitz'z new horror-fantasy CIRQUE DU FREAK.

According to ShockTillYouDrop.com, Dafoe will star alongside JOHN C REILLY, KEN WATANABE, PATRICK FUGIT, JANE KRAKOWSKI and SALMA HAYEK in the freak show movie.

Horror fans will probably remember Hayek is no stranger to vampire hi-jinx, after playing a bloodthirsty erotic dancer in Robert Rodriguez' FROM DUSK TIL DAWN.

Cirque Du Freak is to be based on the first instalment of the teen novels by Darren Shan, focusing on a young boy who visits an illegal freak show and is then is forced to become a vampire's assistant in order to save his best friend's life.

Dafoe, who has twice been nominated for Academy Awards, has signed to play a nightwalker called Gavner Purl.