Robert Downey Jr. is in talks to replace Tom Cruise as bloodsucker Lestat in a prequel to 1994 movie Interview With the Vampire.

Studio bosses want to capitalize on the popularity of vampire-themed Twilight and TV hit True Blood and reincarnate author Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

According to celebrity blogger PerezHilton, Downey Jr. is in talks to take on the Lestat role, in a movie that would focus heavily on the character and how he came to be a vampire.

Neil Jordan's "Interview with the Vampire" boasted a star-studded cast including Cruise, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst - and earned two Oscar nominations.

Image © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)