LOS ANGELES: Keira Knightley and Eric Bana have signed up for an adaptation of 'The Emperor's Children'.

Keira Knightley has signed up for 'The Emperor's Children'.

'Greenberg' director Noah Baumbach is to direct the movie, which is an adaptation of Claire Messud's best-selling 2006 book.

Also lined up for roles are Eric Bana and Richard Gere, according to movie website The Wrap.

The novel tells the tale of three graduates from Brown University who are worried about hitting 30 and the level of expectation they have for the work and home lives.

It is expected Gere will take a supporting role in the movie, which takes place in the months leading up to and after the September 11 terror attacks which took place in the US in 2001.

Keira has a number of movie roles coming up, including a portrayal of writer Zelda Fitzgerald in biopic 'The Beautiful and the Damned' and David Cronenberg drama 'The Talking Cure' - in which Keira will play a character being treated by renowned psychologists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.

Recently the 24-year-old actress revealed she wanted to do more theatre roles after starring in a West End production of comedy 'The Misanthrope'.

She said: "It's so different to films as you really get into the character. In films, once you have finished shooting a scene it's done but with theatre you're always continuing. You get to know the character in a way that you don't as much in films."

'The Emperor's Children' is expected to have a 2011 release.