Natalie Portman has signed on for the lead role in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, a supernatural thriller set in the world of New York City ballet, which was put into turnaround at Universal, and is making the rounds to studios and specialty divisions, several of which are keenly interested.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mark Heyman has done a rewrite of John McLaughlin's original script for the pic, which Mike Medavoy's Phoenix Pictures and Protozoa are producing.

Black Swan centers on a veteran ballerina (Portman) who finds herself locked in a competitive situation with a rival dancer, with the stakes and twists increasing as the dancers approach a big performance. But it's unclear whether the rival is a supernatural apparition or if the protagonist is simply having delusions.

Those who've read the script say it's a spine-tingler with elements of The Others, the Nicole Kidman breakout in which viewers are left to discern what's real and what's imagined.

If a sale happens imminently, Black Swan could begin shooting as early as this year.