Guillermo del Toro to write vampire virus thriller series

Director Guillermo del Toro recently closed a publishing deal with Harper Collins, to pen a trilogy of vampire thrillers with author Chuck Hogan, whose previous books include Prince of Thieves, The Killing Moon, South of Shiloh and The Price of Blood.

The first of the del Toro series, titled The Strain, hits bookstores in summer of 2009. The story revolves around an invasion of New York City by a vampire virus. The upcoming book series will trace the roots of the vampire race all the way to its Old Testament origins.

A special edition will also be published simultaneously by Harper Collins’s Spanish-language imprint, Rayo.

Del Toro is currently prepping The Hobbit, which he has committed the next five years of his life to bring to the screen. He’s also attached to helm remakes of Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as well as Slaughterhouse-Five, for Universal. As if that weren’t enough work , he’s developing the film Drood, based on a Dan Simmons’ novel.