Variety reports that Melissa George has been cast as the female lead opposite Josh Hartnett in Sony's horror adaptation 30 DAYS OF NIGHT being produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert under their Ghost House banner. David Slade ("Hard Candy") is directing.

Shooting begins this month in New Zealand.

Scripted by Stuart Beattie ("Collateral," "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl") and Brian Nelson ("Hard Candy"), pic is based on the 2002 graphic novel created by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. Story is set in Barrow, Alaska, where 30 days of continual winter darkness make the town the perfect feeding ground for vampires.