AceShowbiz -

Appears to be keen in expanding her acting resume, Meg Ryan has reportedly signed on to star opposite William H. Macy in "The Deal (2008)", which is said to be a passion project for Macy who has spent the last two years raising the almost $8 million budget with all non-Hollywood investors.

Here Ryan replaces Lisa Kudrow who is no longer included in the cast, repeating the same step she made in "Homeland Security" which saw her take over the role left by Annette Bening. Filming is slated to start on March 26 in Cape Town, South Africa, not in Bucharest, Romania as previously reported back in August 2006.

An adaptation of Peter Lefcourt's novel of the same name, "Deal" focuses on a movie producer who is able to have a major studio financed a $100 million project about British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. However, the lead actor later gets abducted and the picture is shut down, leading him to use the studio's blocked funds to make a completely different picture without the studio's consent.

Muse Entertainment, Dogpond/Sydnyk Works, Union Square Entertainment, and Peace Arch Entertainment are all developing the project with Steven Schacter directing from the script he himself penned alongside Macy. The pair previously collaborated in TV-movie productions of "Door to Door" and "The Wool Cap."