Zooey Deschanel and Anton Yelchin are to star in an upcoming dark comedy, Digital Spy said.

The Driftless Area will be based on Tom Drury's novel of the same name, and will begin shooting next month.

John Hawkes, Ciaran Hinds and Alia Shawkat will also star in the project from Unified Pictures and Bron Studios.

Zachary Sluser will direct from a screenplay he co-wrote with Tom Drury.

Deschanel plays an intriguing and sensual woman who meets a bartender (Yelchin), who falls in love with her. After he returns to his hometown, he finds himself up against an unhinged criminal (Hawkes).

The New Girl actress is also set to star in Barry Levinson's comedy Rock the Kazbah opposite Bruce Willis, Bill Murray and Kate Hudson.

Her last big screen role was in 2011 comedy Your Highness.