One of Hollywood's top acting powerhouses, Willem Dafoe, will appear in Cirque du Freak, the upcoming big-screen adaptation of Darren Shan's series of young-adult dark fantasy novels. Cirque du Freak is the tale of a young man (also named Darren) who becomes entangled in an ages-old war between good and evil vampires, set against the backdrop of a macabre circus, packed with--you guessed it, folks--freaks!

Dafoe will play Gavner Purl, a manipulative vampire, whose loyalties fall somewhere in between both warring factions. He's also a friend to John C. Reilly's Larten Crepsley, the film's vampire hero, who recruits young Darren to the world of the circus, and the undead.

We had the distinct pleasure of watching Dafoe perform today on the film's set in New Orleans, and we can attest that the master thespian's as dynamic as ever, as is his look in the film. In the scenes we witnessed, he wore a snazzy blue velvet suit with a small yellow flower in his lapel, and chalk-white makeup; he also sported a widow's peak and a short, thin mustache, and he brandished a cane. Truth be told, his look was somewhat reminscent of the Joker's traditional appearance. And the filmmakers told us his character's appearance was based on that of old black-and-white film stars, as well as the young Salvador Dali.

For the record, this marks the third time Dafoe's played a vampire--after his Oscar-nominated turn in Shadow of the Vampire and his role in the upcoming Daybreakers. Stay tuned to FEARnet as we plan on having lots more on Cirque du Freak in the months ahead!

[Note! Check out our interview with Nightmare on Elm St. star Heather Langenkamp, where she discusses she and her husband's role in the FX department of 'Cirque'!