Has Joaquin Phoenix finally found a way back from the Hollywood wilderness and his self-indulgent faux-documentary shenanigans?

According to Deadline, the Walk the Line star is the front-runner to play the mentor who teaches the America’s 16th President how to kill bloodsuckers in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. If cast, Phoenix will be joining relative newcomer Benjamin Walker (who is playing the title role) in this fantasy horror re-imagination of an historical figure.

Last seen in as an actor in 2008’s Two Lovers, this could be the kind of high-profile role to re-establish Phoenix after he (rather inexplicably) decided to gamble with his healthy profession by having brother-in-law Casey Affleck film his exile from cinema and follow his supposed attempts at  building a career as a rapper in I’m Still Here.

Let’s hope the 36-year-old is genuine about getting his career back on track and signs on that dotted line.