Hugh Grant in talks for Guy Ritchie's spy thriller

Hugh Grant is in talks to star in Guy Ritchie's new spy thriller.

Deadline report that the 60-year-old is set to join Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes and Bugzy Malone in the movie which was formerly titled 'Five Eyes' although a deal has not been closed yet.

Hugh has previously collaborated with Richie when he played the role of Fletcher in the 2019 film 'The Gentlemen'.

The new movie follows MI6 agent Orson Fortune (Statham) who is recruited by a global intelligence agency to track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology that threatens to disrupt the world order.

Reluctantly paired up with CIA tech expert Sarah Fidel, Fortune sets off on a globe-trotting mission where he will have to use his charm, ingenuity and stealth to infiltrate billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds.

Guy is directing and producing from a script written by Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. Bill Block is producing for Miramax, who are fully financing the project – which is being filmed in Qatar and Turkey.

Hugh is renowned for his leading man roles in romcoms such as 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' and 'Notting Hill' but previously suggested that he would love to do a sequel to one of his romantic movies to prove them as a "terrible lie".

He said: "I would like to do a sequel to one of my own romantic comedies that shows what happened after those films ended.

"Really, to prove the terrible lie that they all were, that it was a happy ending."

Hugh joked that he would love his character in 'Notting Hill' – London bookstore owner Will Thacker – to go through a "hideous divorce" with Julia Roberts' actress alter ego Anna Scott.

He explained: "I'd like to do me and Julia and the hideous divorce that's ensued with really expensive lawyers, children involved in [a] tug of love, floods of tears. Psychologically scarred forever. I'd love to do that film."