She is more associated with comedies than she is scary movies, but Katie Holmes is branching out into the world of horror.

This week a trailer was released giving a sneak peek at Katie in her latest film, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.

The 31-year-old star takes a lead role in the latest offering from Guillermo del Toro which tells the story of a young girl, called Sally, sent to live with her father – played by Guy Pearce – and his girlfriend (Katie).

They are living in a 19th century mansion on Rhode Island, where Sally discovers a secret basement and awakens a host of creatures who want to claim her as one of their own.

It is not the first time that Katie has appeared in a horror film; she also starred in the 1998 release, Disturbing Behaviour.

She recently finished work on a mini-series about the Kennedy family, in which she stars as first lady Jackie. The eight-part series charters the rise of John F Kennedy, from his presidential campaign through to his assassination.

Click here to see the trailer for Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.

Photo: � Miramax