Johnny Depp to be a Night Stalker

(Getty)

Johnny Depp has purchased the rights to create a movie version of 70s TV show 'The Night Stalker'.

The 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' star's company Infinitum Nihil will co-produce the film - based on the show about a Las Vegas tabloid journalist named Carl Kolchak who often discovers crimes are related back to zombies, vampires and aliens - with Disney, although no director or writers have yet been attached.

David Kennedy is set to be an executive producer on the movie, Deadline.com reports. The original TV series - entitled 'Kolchak: The Night Stalker' - ran from 1974 to 1975 and starred Darren McGavin as the lead character. It is one of three films 48 year old Johnny currently has in the works based on a TV show - he will also star in Tim Burton's vampire movie 'Dark Shadows', currently filming with Chloe Moretz and Michelle Pfeiffer in London, and as Tonto in 'The Lone Ranger'.

The three-time Oscar-nominated actor was recently said to be close to signing up to a fifth instalment of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and will next be seen in 'The Rum Diary' with Giovanni Ribisi and Amber Heard.