Navajo vampire tale 'Second Sunrise' in the works as movie

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - The Romero Company has acquired movie rights to Navajo vampire story "Second Sunrise" with Eddie Spears ("Hell on Wheels"), Sage Galesi, Balthazar Getty ("Brothers & Sisters") and A. Martinez starring.

Joanelle Romero will direct from a script by Carolyn Dunn and E.C. Galesi. She will produce for Red Nation Films along with Rosemary Parks ("Thirteen").

"Second Sunrise" is being developed as a franchise starter, based on the first of four novels in the Lee Nez series, written by David and Aimee Thurlo. "Pale Death," "Blood Retribution" and "Surrogate Evil" are the other books. The story, set in New Mexico, brings a Navajo vampire and a no-nonsense FBI agent together to battle shapeshifters and stop a power-mad Nazi.

Romero asserts that the success of Lionsgate's "Twilight Saga" franchise bodes well for her vampire stories. "Never before has there been an American Indian feature film that has the opportunity to break through at the box office," she said.

Romero's credits include the documentary "American Holocaust: When It's All Over I'll Still Be Indian." She also starred with Martinez in "Pow Wow Highway," produced by George Harrison, and founded the Red Nation Film Festival in 2003.