Michael Sheen, who played a werewolf in the Underworld movies, will switch teams to play a vampire in New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, the U.K. newspaper The Daily Mail reported.

Sheen will play Aro, the leader of an Italian vampire clan called the Volturi, whose members also include Dakota Fanning.

Director Chris Weitz confirmed Sheen's casting to the Mail on Sunday and said he had "aggressively" pursued the actor. He described the character as head of all vampires, very gracious and friendly, but a tremendous threat beneath it all.

Sheen joins a cast that includes Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Fanning, Nikki Reed, Chaske Spencer, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, Tyson Houseman and Jamie Campbell-Bower.

New Moon, based on the second of Stephenie Meyer's hit novels, is in production with an eye to a Nov. 20 release.