As if we weren’t already giddy enough about the idea of Guillermo del Toro channelling his love for classic haunted house tales through his own brand of warped reality and twisted visuals for Crimson Peak, news of the first bit of casting has us even more interested. Emma Stone is now in early negotiations to star.

Though del Toro is being coy with the information right now, we do know that it’s a set-orientated, classic but modern take on the ghost story. Quoth the co-writer/director himself: “It will allow me to play with the conventions of the genre I know and love, and at the same time subvert the old rules.”

Del Toro originally wrote the script with regular partner Matthew Robbins, and more recently hired The Crimson Petal And The White’s Lucinda Coxon to work on it as he nudges it towards production. Legendary Pictures, which most recently backed del Toro’s massive monsters vs giant robots clash Pacific Rim (out July 12), is stumping up the cash once more.

Stone, who is currently on our screens in Gangster Squad, will voice one of the main characters in DreamWorks' The Croods (out March 22) and is part of the huge Movie 43 ensemble. She’s also going to be busy working on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 this year. She has not yet signed a deal with Crimson Peak, but let’s face it: who would turn down the chance to work with del Toro? The first one to say “Universal” gets a visit from the Pale Man.