Jurnee Smollett to star in and executive produce Lou

Jurnee Smollett will star in and executive produce the Netflix movie 'Lou'.

The 34-year-old actress has been tapped to appear alongside Allison Janney who will also be starring in and executive producing the flick.

Anna Foerster is directing the film from a screenplay written by Maggie Cohn.

As a massive storm rages in Lou, a young girl is kidnapped. Her mother, with no other option, teams up with the mysterious older woman next door to pursue the kidnapper – a journey into the wilderness that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.

J.J. Abrams, Jon Cohen and Hannah Minghella of Bad Robot are producing for Bad Robot with Braden Aftergood and Lindsey Weber are executive producers.

Jurnee previously played the role of Dinah Lance/Black Canary in 'Birds of Prey' and has revealed she is keen on returning to the DC Extended Universe as Black Canary.

She said: "It's no secret how much I loved playing Black Canary, and (I was) so honoured to take on that mantle. I would absolutely do it again if given a chance."

Smollett had previously hinted there was much more to come from Black Canary as 'Birds of Prey' served as an origin story for the character.

Jurnee explained: "She's a beast, but I had to be really patient and kind of like reel that in because it is an origin story.

"She's not there yet, so it was great to explore this idea of, you know, a woman who's really needing to be emancipated from a state of mind. Because she's really the one in her own way.

"I mean, she's the most powerful person in the room. She's got the Canary Cry and yet she's choosing to hide it. And she's very much the reluctant hero."