Neil Jordan Gets Rolling on Rice’s ‘Vampire’ : The director of ‘Crying Game’ will do ‘Interview With a Vampire’ for Geffen Films.

Neil Jordan, the sought-after director of the hit independent film “The Crying Game,” has agreed to direct “Interview With a Vampire,” a film based on Anne Rice’s best-selling 1976 novel, according to industry sources.

The Rice project, which has spent 17 years in development at five different Hollywood studios, will be produced for David Geffen’s Geffen Films, which has a distribution deal with Warner Bros.

The story revolves around the Gothic exploits of a vampire named Lestat and his tortured vampire confidante Louis. The film is tentatively scheduled to begin shooting in Hungary, perhaps as early as April. No deals or offers have been made but Daniel Day-Lewis and Brad Pitt reportedly have the inside track for the respective roles of Lestat and Louis. A release date has not yet been determined.

Jordan--whose deal is expected to be final next week--will write a final draft of a script written by Steven Katz, which was a “polish” of a draft done by Rice last year at Geffen’s request.

Sources say Geffen was instrumental in nabbing Jordan. “David was a huge fan of ‘The Crying Game,’ and sought Neil out to direct this,” says a source.

Jordan, who has been pursued by many studios since “The Crying Game” became this year’s sleeper hit, also made it known he was interested in the film.

“Interview With a Vampire” will be the first Rice novel to be filmed. The author is said to be “thrilled” with the selection of Jordan.

Sources say the project is expected to have a budget in the $30 million to $40 million range.

Attempts to develop a movie of “Interview With a Vampire” have frustrated many of Hollywood’s top directors, actors and Rice herself. Originally acquired by Paramount Pictures, the project was first set to star John Travolta. When that deal fell through, it was set up at other studios, and even as a network miniseries.

Several industry sources expressed shock that Jordan would attack a big, glossy Hollywood production after “The Crying Game.” The director has not had a good track record with studio productions: “We’re No Angels” and “High Spirits” were critical and commercial duds.

But Jordan’s little-seen Gothic-horror film “The Company of Wolves” was a selling point for Geffen, a source said. Others point to the sexual ambiguity of the Rice characters, which Jordan has explored in other films.