Ryan Gosling will headline The Actor, an adaptation of Donald E Westlake's novel Memory. The film will be directed by Duke Johnson of Anomalisa fame from a script he co-wrote with Stephen Cooney.

Gosling will play New York actor Paul Cole, who is beaten and left for dead in 1950s Ohio. Stripped of his memory and stranded in a mysterious small town, Paul struggles to get back home, piece together and reclaim the life and identity he's lost.

Gosling will also produce the film with Waypoint Entertainment's Ken Kao, Johnson and his Innerlight Films partner Abigail Spencer, and Paul Young through his Make Good Banner.

Meanwhile, the actor has Netflix's big-budget film, The Gray Man, which also stars Chris Evans and Dhanush, and is produced by the Russo brothers. He will also feature in filmmaker duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller's astronaut film, Project Hail Mary.