The horror maven and the comedic actor are joining forces to bring a Steve Niles comic to the screen.

The book is called Aleister Arcane and it was written in 2004 by Niles, the author of acclaimed comics like 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, Mystery Society and many others. The plot follows the title character, an old man in a small Oklahoma town who also happens to be a late-night horror TV host but is ruined and driven off the air by the town's adult citizens. A group of children nevertheless befriend him and become the only ones who may be able to break a curse that Aleister casts on the town before he dies.

According to Variety, Roth (The Green Inferno, Hostel) will direct and Carrey will star, presumably as Aleister. This will be Carrey's first straightforward effort in the horror genre, even though he starred in the psychological thriller The Number 23 back in 2007 and has appeared in comics-related movies like The Mask, Batman Forever and Kick-Ass 2. Carrey is also listed as an executive producer on the project, which is being produced through Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment company.

There's no word yet on a release date or when cameras will even roll, but the idea of Carrey in a supernatural role is intriguing. The thought of Roth, whose movies are usually drenched in gore, directing a film for the more tasteful Spielberg and associates is just bizarre. If the picture moves forward and sees the light of day, it's certain to be one of the more unusual comic book adaptations out there.

(via Collider)