Robert Pattinson and Margaret Qualley lead The Stars At Noon

Robert Pattinson and Margaret Qualley are to play the lead roles in 'The Stars At Noon'.

The passionate thriller will be directed by Claire Denis, who previously collaborated with Pattinson on 'High Life', and is based on the 1986 novel by acclaimed American writer Denis Johnson.

Denis - whose previous credits include 'White Material' and 'Beau Travail' - is adapting the story with Lea Mysius and Andrew Litvack.

Set in 1984 during the Nicaraguan Revolution, the plot follows a mysterious English businessman and headstrong American journalist who strike up a passionate romance. They soon become embroiled in a dangerous labyrinth of lies and conspiracies and are forced to try and escape the country, with only each other to trust and rely on.

Pattinson can currently be seen in psychological thriller 'The Lighthouse' and is now shooting DC Comics movie 'The Batman', in which he will play the titular superhero.

Denis, 73, previously described Pattinson as a "wonderful young actor" after working with the 'Twilight' star on 'High Life', in which he played the lead character Monte.

She said: "I was initially afraid Robert would be too young for the part but he wasn't. I think he is a great young man and a wonderful young actor. He is intelligent, poetic, he is like a knight to me."

The 33-year-old English actor also relished the chance to work with Denis, suggesting it was a "no-brainer" to accept the role when it was offered to him.

He said: "Doing something with Claire Denis was a no-brainer. It's much more risky with small, commercial stuff that it could potentially end up as nothing. With Claire even if (the film) is an experiment and people don't really get it, it's still going to be really cool."