Cillian Murphy and Daniel Craig in negotiations to star in Damien Chazelle's next film

Damien Chazelle, known for the Oscar-winning La La Land and Whiplash, has lined up powerful lead stars for his next project. Cillian Murphy and Daniel Craig are in talks to star in the upcoming untitled film, which is reportedly set inside a prison.

Apart from writing and directing the project, Chazelle will also produce with Olivia Hamilton through their company Wild Chickens Productions. Paramount Pictures is distributing the film

If the talks turn out to be fruitful, reports suggest the film might kick off shooting later this year. Chazelle was previously working on the Evel Knievel biopic that was supposed to star Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role, but after several months of talks, the actor dropped out to join hands with Martin Scorsese once again, pushing the director to focus on this prison drama.

Daniel Craig, who concluded his role as James Bond with No Time to Die in 2021, was recently seen in Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino. He is set to star in his third Benoit Blanc mystery, Wake Up Dead Man, which is slated for release on Netflix later this year. Prior to filming Chazelle's film, he will be working on Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Narnia.

Cillian Murphy, who won the Oscar award performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023), has just completed filming the Peaky Blinders movie The Immortal Man for Netflix. He was also recently seen in Small Things Like These.

Chazelle is also known for 10 Cloverfield Lane, First Man and Babylon. He is also producing the upcoming film Heart of the Beast, directed by David Ayer.