Wolverine star Hugh Jackman is set to star opposite Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson in period drama Unbound Captives, it was announced today.

According to Variety, the plot revolves around a woman whose is rescued to a frontiersman following the murder of her husband and the kidnapping of her children at the hands of a Comanche war party. Jackman will play the frontiersman and Pattinson one of the children, while Rachel Weisz has been cast as the mother in question.

Madeline Stowe will make her directorial debut with the project, which she wrote 16 years ago with husband Brian Benben. At the time she turned down a multi-million dollar offer for the script from Fox in favour of holding on to the property until the opportunity arose to be more fully involved in the production.

Speaking of her decision, Stowe said: "There was never a moment's hesitation on my part, but it felt unreal, and I can remember my husband putting a finger across his neck to signal not to take the offer. There are moments in life when you need to follow your heart. The script remained my singular focus, but directing it myself wasn't something I ever dreamed of."

Of the high-profile casting, she said "I saw three actresses, and knew after meeting with Rachel that she was the person I wanted to hand this role to. Robert said yes last fall, before everything broke with Twilight. Hugh said yes a couple of weeks back."

Endeavour International will sell the American distribution rights, while Hyde Park International is selling other territories in Cannes this week.