Karl Urban will play the villain in Screen Gems' Priest, a post-apocalyptic horror thriller that Scott Stewart will direct.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story was adapted by Cory Goodman from a TokyoPop comic, and is set in a world ravaged by war between man and vampires. Paul Bettany stars as a warrior priest and vampire fighter who teams with a sheriff (Cam Gigandet) and warrior priestess (Maggie Q) to track down a murderous band of vampires who have kidnapped his niece.

Urban plays Black Hat, the evil leader of the bloodsuckers who was once a priest and hunter but now fancies himself a god of vampires.

Priest begins production next week in Los Angeles.