Jessica Biel joins Ursa Major cast

Jessica Biel has landed a role in 'Ursa Major'.

The 41-year-old actress has replaced Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the cast of the sci-fi thriller from sibling directors Jonathan and Josh Baker.

Xochitl Gomez is also set to star in the movie that will go into production later this year.

The picture is set on an earth-like planet where mother Charlie (Biel) and daughter Natalie (Gomez) fight for survival while hiding from a group of relentless hunters.

With the added threat of a deadly storm, Natalie begins questioning her mother Charlie about who they are, how they got here and what they must to do to survive.

Winstead had been due to play the part of Charlie but had to drop out of the film due to scheduling conflicts.

The Baker brothers are directing 'Ursa Major' from an original script by Patrick Somerville – the creator of the HBO Max series 'Station Eleven'. He co-wrote the film with Colleen O'Brien and Katie French and is producing with David Eisenberg.

Jessica previously suggested that she is "constantly being pulled in a million directions" as a working mother.

The star – who has sons Silas, eight, and Phineas, two, with husband Justin Timberlake – confessed that it is challenging to maintain a healthy balance in her life.

Speaking on 'The Drew Barrymore Show', Jessica said: "It's not easy sort of balancing your whole life trying to be around your kids and spend time with your partners and friends, and time for yourself and then also your career. It's so hard.

"I don't think I've done it well necessarily yet.

"I feel like I'm constantly being pulled in a million directions, and I think I do that thing where I'm like, 'It's all great', and inside is like a crazy turmoil of ocean waves crashing and I'm freaking out about trying to figure it all out."