James McAvoy to star in cancer comedy

James McAvoy, who last starred in the Universal comic book action film, "Wanted," will next star in the Mandate Pictures' comedic adaptation of the Will Reiser novel, "I'm with Cancer," opposite Seth Rogen.

According to an article on Variety.com, "[McAvoy] will play a 25-year-old who learns he has cancer and successfully battles the disease over several years. Character is based on the real experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, who won his own fight with cancer in his mid-20s."

Nicole Holofcener will direct the film and besides starring in the film, Rogen will also be producing it. Holofcener's previous directing credits include the 1996 Catherine Keener comedy, "Walking and Talking," as well as the 2006 Catherine Keener/Jennifer Aniston romantic drama, "Friends with Money."

According to an article from HollywoodReporter.com, "Evan Goldberg and Ben Karlin will begin principal photography in January. . . . Reiser is executive producing along with Mandate president Nathan Kahane, Mandate's Tendo Nagenda will co-produce. UTA, which represents all parties, packaged the film."

Previously entitled "I'm with Cancer," the now as-yet-unnamed picture will be the first that Rogen and Goldberg will produce together. They jointly penned and executive produced the 2007 comedic romp, "Superbad," and the 2008 action comedy, "Pineapple Express." They will also executive produce the upcoming Sony action movie, "The Green Hornet."

Aside from "Wanted," McAvoy's previous movie credits include the 2005 fantasy film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the 2006 biopic, "The Last King of Scotland," which earned Forest Whitaker an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the 2007 Keira Knightley romantic drama, "Atonement."