British actress Rhona Mitra is replacing another Brit, Kate Beckinsale, as the lead femme for the third installment in the werewolves vs. vampires franchise.
"Underworld 3: The Rise of the Lycans" starts production in January in Auckland, and will be a prequel to the first two "Underworld" films, which starred Beckinsale and grossed more than $200 million combined worldwide.
The prequel is set in the Dark Ages and traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires and their former werewolf slaves, the Lycans.
Michael Sheen will reprise his role of Lycan master Lucian. Bill Nighy also will return as vampire elder Viktor. Rhona (of "Boston Legal" and "Ali G Indahouse") joins the cast as Viktor's daughter and secret lover to Lucian.
"Underworld" creator Len Wiseman, who directed his wife Beckinsale in the first two films, will hand over the reins to Patrick Tatopoulos, who created the creature effects for those films.
Rhona's upcoming film, Doomsday, is due in UK theaters in December and will be released in the US in March. Doomsday is directed by Neil Marshall, who had hits with his first two horror thrillers, "Dog Soldiers" and "The Descent".
