The Vampire Diaries' Ian Somerhalder will star in the romantic gothic fairy tale Cradlewood for Hand Picked Films and Instinct Entertainment. Harry Weinmann is on board to direct the indie feature.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie centers on an Australian woman living in Boston with the heir (Somerhalder) to an incredible fortune whose family history is swirled in a legend that tells of a pact made with a demon which ensures that whenever a boy is born into the family, the father is killed.

The heir suspects his girlfriend is pregnant, and after strange events occur, he comes to believe he will die if he continues to fall in love.

Emma Lung (The Boys Are Back) will play the Australian woman.

Cradlewood is based on original story by Weinmann. Stephen Sewell and John Paul Chapple wrote the script.

"We see this is as almost like an American-style 'Pan's Labyrinth' in look and feel," producer Michael Shane said. "It's a perfect segue for the kids who have outgrown 'Twilight' but want something romantic and scary. Our monster will be quite terrifying; she is sexually attractive and monstrous at the same time."

Cradlewood is eyeing production in April in Melbourne.