Kate Beckinsale on Friday denied widespread reports that she has signed on to a fourth Underworld film, which would begin a new trilogy in 3-D. Beckinsale told a group of reporters that she had barely even considered reprising the role of vampire/death dealer Selene.

“I haven’t signed anything,” Beckinsale said in a press conference today in Beverly Hills, Calif., where she was promoting the thriller Whiteout. “It was always conceived as a trilogy, which I was never going to be in the third one. I think if they came up with an amazing script or whatever, then, sure, I wouldn’t be averse to it, but it’s not necessarily planned.”

The prospect of a new trilogy left her downright flummoxed. “God, three whole more?” she sighed. “I don’t think my daughter needs to see my bottom in rubber for another 10 years.”

Beckinsale is aware of development on Underworld 4, but only through the Hollywood rumor mill. “I heard they’re talking about a fourth one, but I don’t know if that’s officially happening or if that’s just a rumor,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a rumor.”

ADD together the current trends for vampires, werewolves and 3D filmmaking and you have the ingredients for a fourth film in the Underworld franchise. Although clawed by critics, the three previous fantasy horror adventures have been stylish, enjoyable and well-received. Fans will be pleased to hear that Screen Gems is now moving ahead on Underworld 4 with a view to a release date of January 21, 2011.

Shock Till You Drop reports that the movie will be shot in 3D, like Resident Evil: Afterlife. All three previous movies have done well at the box office. Underworld, back in 2003, made $96m on a $22m budget; Underworld: Evolution made $111m on a $45m budget in 2003; and this year’s prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans made $91million on a $35m budget.
Len Wiseman directed the first two, in which his wife Kate Beckinsale starred as vampire Selene, with Patrick Tatopoulos taking the reins on Rise of the Lycans.

The big question is whether the next installment will be a further prequel with Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy and Rhona Mitra , or if Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman from the first two movies will return.

Beckinsale had indicated she wanted to move on from the role, earlier saying: “I feel like I’ve played that character enough times that I don’t think I’d be excited to play the same character again. It’s a weird experience. I’ve never done that before, you’re playing the same character in two movies, and after two, I feel like I’m kind of done with that.”

But with a prequel filling in the backstory, a sequel may be the only way forward. If Beckinsale chooses not to be involved, which seems likely given her previous comments, it would have to go off in a whole new direction, perhaps another country and a new set of characters, which could work well. Len Wiseman had at one point also been considering an Underworld spin-off TV series but nothing more has been heard about that project.