HOLLYWOOD: Natalie Portman is to play a ballerina in a new movie. The actress is in talks to star in supernatural thriller 'Black Swan', which is set in the highly competitive world of New York ballet. The film follows Natalie's veteran ballerina character who finds herself locked in a competitive situation with a rival dancer. As they approach a big performance it becomes clear the competitor isn't real - but it is doubtful whether the protagonist is delusional or if the other dancer is a supernatural apparition. The movie was first planned in 2007, but after Universal Pictures dropped the idea, it has now been taken to other studios. Since the original proposals, Mark Heyman, a development executive at Darren's Protozoa Pictures, has rewritten the script. 'Black Swan' is expected to be released in 2010.