Josh Brolin is in negotiations to appear in 'Whalefall'.

The 57-year-old actor is currently in talks with 20th Century Studios and Imagine Entertainment to co-star in the upcoming movie - which will be an adaptation of author Daniel Kraus' 2023 novel of the same name - alongside Austin Abrams.

'Whalefall' is being described as 'The Martian' meets '127 Hours, and will be directed by 'Underwater' filmmaker Brian Duffield - who will also co-write the screenplay with Kraus.

The story follows a scuba diver searching for his late father's remains, only to be swallowed by an enormous 80-foot, 60-tonne sperm whale.

With just an hour of oxygen left, he faces a desperate fight for survival but unexpectedly finds a new reason to live in the most perilous and unlikely circumstances.

'Whalefall' is to be produced by Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum under the Imagine Entertainment banner, while Duffield also serves as a producer.

Meanwhile, 3 Arts Entertainment's Richard Abate and Will Rowbotham will serve as executive producers, with J.R. Young overseeing the project for the studio.

Brolin could most recently be seen in last year's 'Dune: Part Two', where he reprised his role as House Atreides Warmaster Gurney Halleck, and is due to appear in the next instalment 'Dune: Messiah' for director Denis Villeneuve.

While Villeneuve is still currently working on the story for his upcoming sci-fi blockbuster, Brolin admitted last November that he was yet to receive a script for 'Dune: Messiah'.

When Forbes asked Brolin about an update on the movie, the 'Avengers: Endgame' star said: "So, I really look forward to being able to continue. We haven't gotten a script yet.

"We were supposed to get a script a couple of weeks ago, but, you know, that happens and I'll see what we're doing. I'd be excited to do any of it."

'Dune: Messiah' - which will be based on author Frank Herbert's 1969 book of the same name - will follow Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) 12 years into his reign as Emperor of the Known Universe as the sectarian cult he created around himself begins to spiral out of his control.

As well as 'Dune: Messiah', Brolin is also due to appear in director Rian Johnson's 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery', where he will star opposite Daniel Craig's detective Benoit Blanc as a mysterious priest.

He revealed to TotalFilm: "I'm playing a priest. My wife reminded me … She said, 'Do you remember a year ago you said that you wanted to play a priest? It's like you manifest this s***'."

Reflecting on the murder-mystery movie, the 'No Country for Old Men' star heaped praise on his "new favourite director" Johnson, and labelled the picture as "one of the greatest experiences [he's] ever had".

He gushed: "Rian is probably my new favourite director. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. Incredible cast."

As well as Brolin, 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' - which is set to hit Netflix later in 2025 - will star Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Thomas Haden Church, Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close and Andrew Scott.