Director Kevin Macdonald (State of Play) is ready for his next project: the Roman military drama The Eagle of the Ninth.

According to Variety, Jamie Bell is set to star in the 2nd century A.D. tale, and Channing Tatum is in talks to join him. Jeremy Brock wrote the script, who teamed with Macdonald on The Last King of Scotland.

The story revolves around a wounded Roman soldier and his loyal Celtic slave who try to solve the mystery of the Ninth Legion, a brigade of Roman soldiers that vanished after heading into the untamed Highlands of Scotland 15 years earlier.

Hungarian locations will stand in for 2nd century England, while the Scottish scenes will be filmed in Scotland.

Bell is set to play the slave, while Tatum has been offered the lead but has not yet committed.

Production is set to begin in August.