Viggo Mortensen (
Lord of the Rings) is in negotiations to topline the Spanish period adventure film
Alatriste, according to Variety.
He will star in the eponymous role of Captain Alatriste, a Spanish soldier-cum-mercenary embroiled in the country's 16th century imperial wars.
The movie is written and will be directed by Agustin Diaz Yanes (
No News From God).
Mexican Gael Garcia Bernal (
The Motorcycle Diaries,
Bad Education) is in talks to play Alatriste's page Inigo. Up-and-coming Spanish actress Elena Anaya (
Van Helsing,
Dead Fish) looks likely to have a co-starring role as Angelica de Alquezar, Inigo's love-interest.
Alatriste is budgeted at north of E20 million ($24.4 million), which would make it the most expensive Spanish film ever made, beating Roman Polanski's
The Ninth Gate.
Unusually for such a high-range film by local standards, the pic will be shot in Spanish. Mortensen speaks perfect Spanish, having lived in Argentina for years.
Alatriste is set to start production in January, shooting in the Spanish cities of Seville and Toledo, as well as in northern Spain.