Ben Stiller and Lily James in Lockdown talks

Ben Stiller, Lily James and Stephen Merchant are in advanced talks to star in 'Lockdown'.

Producers of Doug Liman's forthcoming heist dramedy are said to have entered negotiations with the trio, as well as Dule Hill, Jazmyn Simon and Mark Gatiss.

The pandemic-themed motion picture already has Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor attached to the cast, and Liman will direct from a script by Steven Knight.

In the movie, Hathaway and Ejiofor's characters, warring couple Linda and Paxton, call a truce and plan to attempt a high-stakes jewellery heist at department store Harrods, which has given the green light to be the backdrop to the shoot.

Cillian Murphy had previously been linked to the project, but such talk has since gone quiet.

The motion picture is thought to have a budget of less than $10 million, and is to be funded by Stuart Ford's AGC Studios.

P.J. van Sandwijk and Alison Winter will produce the movie.

Production on the motion picture has already started in London, where filming is taking place amid coronavirus pandemic healthy and safety guidelines.

In June, it was revealed Ben Stiller is set to direct Oscar Isaac in thriller movie 'London', which is based on a story by Jo Nesbo and being adapted as a screenplay by Eric Roth.

'London' will mark the first time that Stiller has directed a movie since the 'Zoolander' sequel in 2016.

James recently shot 'Rebecca' - a new adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's classic gothic thriller - opposite Dame Kristin Scott Thomas.