Portman to Star in Universal Comedy

Natalie Portman will star in a Universal comedy about princes and princesses, which is set to begin production in July in Northern Ireland.

Portman will star alongside Danny McBride, who co-stars with Will Ferrell in 2009's "Land of the Lost," and James Franco, who has starred with Tobey Maguire in the "Spider-Man" films.

According to a Variety.com article, "McBride, who wrote the script with Ben Best, plays an arrogant lazy prince who with his brother (Franco) must complete a quest to save the kingdom and his brother's fiance. Portman will play a warrior princess that the lazy prince falls in love with. McBride and Best set up the project with U and [Scott] Stuber last year. Jon Mone and Andy Davis are exec producers."

Stuber is on tap to produce while David Gordon Green will direct, he also directed 2008's "Pineapple Express," which also featured Franco and McBride.

As for Portman's other projects, she is currently filming "Hesser," with "3rd Rock from the Sun's" Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rainn Wilson who is a cast member on the NBC hit, "The Office." This film marks Portman's first crack as producer under her banner, Handsomecharlie Films. But moviegoers will next see Portman in "Brothers," which is due out in December and also stars Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal who starred in the 2005 Oscar-winning film, "Brokeback Mountain."

Portman also just wrapped the Don Roos-directed "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits," which also stars ex-"Friends" cast member Lisa Kudrow. Portman is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.