DANIEL RADCLIFFE is nearing a deal to appear in a new take on the "Frankenstein" story.  But despite what you probably already assumed, he's NOT playing Dr. Frankenstein.  And no, he's not playing the monster, either.

He's in talks to play the hunchbacked lab assistant IGOR.  The character is described as, quote, "pathologically dirty, with long hair and wearing old clown clothes."

The script is being written by Max Landis.  He wrote the screenplay for the excellent flick "Chronicle", and he's also the son of Hollywood legend JOHN LANDIS.