Keira Knightley (
Pirates of the Caribbean) is in final negotiations to join the cast of
Tulip Fever according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The comedy drama, based on Deborah Moggach's novel, has already cast Jude Law and John Madden (
Shakespeare in Love) as director.
Set in the mid-1600s in Amsterdam,
Fever centers on a young woman (Knightley) who weds a wealthy merchant to escape poverty. However, she meets up with a penniless artist (Law) hired to paint her portrait, and the two fall in love. Their only hope of escape from her current situation is by raising money from the all-important tulip market.
The movie is scheduled to start shooting in April