Writer Beckoned to ‘Underworld 4′

Published by Jeff Leins on: November 20th, 2009

Screen Gems/Lakeshore have found a cheap writer to journey once again to a world of vampires and werewolves.  John Hlavin has signed to pen Underworld 4.

Many media outlets are describing Hlavin as writer for FX’s “The Shield,” but he wrote two of the 89 episodes and served as story editor on four others.  The rest of his resume is pretty bare though.

Kate Beckinsale has not agreed to return to the series, which Hlavin confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter “is not a prequel.”  Neither has Rhona Mitra, who replaced Beckinsale as the bad ass brunette for the third movie (a prequel) titled Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.

In an interview in August, Beckinsale said she would not be adverse to it, but they would have to come up with an amazing script.  Then again, she thought the whole thing was a rumor at the time and she’s married to a producer (Wiseman).

Similarly, Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy are questionable for the cast.  A director will likely be courted once the script is finished.  Len Wiseman, who directed the first two, is producing.  So basically we don’t really know anything other than who is writing the sequel and that it will probably suck.

A scoop earlier this year suggested the fourth would be in 3-D and a possible release date of January 21, 2011.