Julianne Moore is to star in the big screen adaptation of novel 'Bel Canto'.

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore

The 55-year-old actress is to appear alongside Ken Watanabe and Demian Bichir in the movie which is based on Ann Patchett's best-selling 2001 novel which is inspired by real life events that occurred in Peru in the mid-1990s.

The story focuses on American soprano singer Roxane Coss - to be played by Moore - who travels to a military dictatorship in South America to perform a private concert at the birthday party of rich Japanese industrialist Katsumi Hosokawa (Watanabe).

As the party is getting started the property is seized by guerrilla soldiers led by General Benjamin (Bichir) who hold everyone hostage while demanding the release of their imprisoned comrades.

The tense situation plays out over an entire month and leads to both captors and hostages developing bonds and finding their shared humanity and unlikely romance develops.

Paul Weitz is on board to direct and he also adapted the screenplay from the tome with Anthony Weintraub.

Weitz, Weintraub, Andrew Miano and Caroline Baron will produce.

Moore can next be seen in Todd Haynes' 'Wonderstruck', while Watanabe is currently shooting 'Transformers: The Last Knight'. Bichir just finished shooting 'Alien: Covenant' which is directed by Sir Ridley Scott.