Rose Byrne is set to join political satire 'Irresistible'.

Rose Byrne

Rose Byrne

The 39-year-old actress is reportedly working out a deal to co-star in the upcoming comedy with Jon Stewart at the helm of the satire, which is based on his own original idea.

Steve Carell is also said to be the favourite to star - although though financing and scheduling need to be agreed first and the former 'Daily Show' host will also produce the project, alongside Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment.

Sources had previously revealed last year that financiers and distributors were yet to come on board, however, Focus Features is now interested in backing the film, and filming could be underway as early as this spring.

Details of the film have yet to be released but the project will no doubt play to the 55-year-old comedian's strengths, as he made his directorial debut with political drama 'Rosewater'.

Meanwhile, Rose recently starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in new comedy 'Instant Family', about a couple who find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children, and has admitted that her research for the movie "opened her eyes" to the prospect of giving a disadvantaged kid a home.

She said: "Working on this film opened my eyes, my heart, and my mind. I met families who have adopted, parents with biological children and foster children, boys raised in different families. I immediately realised that I was profoundly naive and not very informed about these things. Would I adopt boys without a family? The answer is yes."