Forest Whitaker is in negotiations to round out the cast of action feature The Expendables, Sylvester Stallone's latest writing and directing project.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Whitaker would play the CIA liaison for a group of mercenaries (played by Stallone, Jet Li, Randy Couture and Jason Statham) who are clandestinely sent to South America to overthrow a dictator.

Nu Image/Millennium Films is producing the film.

The Expendables is the first project in Stallone's two-picture deal with Nu Image/Millennium. He last wrote and directed Rambo, which mowed down $155 million in worldwide grosses.

Stallone, who expressed his intention to woo Whitaker at the AFM in November, has been scouting locations for a February shoot.

The Expendables was released August 13th, 2010 and stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas. The film is directed by Sylvester Stallone.