'Firefly' Star Alan Tudyk to Star in 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'

There are often collisions in nerd culture, but this one might just cause a nerd supernova: Alan Tudyk, who starred in the cult hit sci-fi TV show "Firefly," has been cast in the upcoming film "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

If you're scratching your head wondering how you missed the part of your U.S. History class where they told you that Lincoln hunted vampires, don't fret: it's one of a series of literary mash-ups that have been brewing over the past few years.

The novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter follows in the footsteps of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which both take historical and literary events and add a dash of the supernatural.

So far, newcomer Benjamin Walker has been cast as our nation's 16th president and "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" star Mary Elizabeth Winstead has been cast as Mary Todd Lincoln.

The two are joined by a cast of talented young actors who haven't quite hit the mainstream yet, including Jimmi Simpson (Liam McPoyle on "It's Always Sunny in Phildelphia"), so the addition of the veteran Alan Tudyk will be welcomed. Plus, the fans he brings from previous projects like "Firefly" and "Dollhouse" will feel right at home with this horror thriller.

Tudyk will play Stephen Douglas in the film, a figure famous in history for his part in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. In this reimagining, Douglas will be an ally of the Southern vampires in the Civil War, who oppose Lincoln and the north.

Sure, it's ridiculous. But it's also kind of awesome, isn't it?