AceShowbiz -

Director James Gray has confirmed that Brad Pitt will star in sci-fi film "Ad Astra". Gray broke the news in his recent talk with Collider and added that the movie would start filming on July 17.

"Yes, yes, and yes," said Gray when he was asked whether Pitt would have a starring role in "Ad Astra". "I'm terrified by it. The science-fiction genre is so tricky because there are elements of fantasy usually involved, and there are also fantastical elements. What I'm trying to do is the most realistic depiction of space travel that's been put in a movie and to basically say, 'Space is awfully hostile to us,' " the director added.

Gray went on saying, "It's kind of a 'Heart of Darkness' story about traveling to the outer edge of our solar system. I have a lot of hopes for it but it is certainly ambitious.... It starts shooting July 17th, so not too far away. I'm filled with terror, but that's fine (laughs)."

"Ad Astra" follows Pitt's "slightly autistic" space engineer Roy McBride, whose father fails doing a one-way mission to Neptune when trying to find any sign of extra-terrestrial intelligence. Roy travels through the solar system to learn why his father's mission fails.

Pitt was close to teaming up with Gray in the past. He was attached to star in the "The Lost City of Z", but he eventually dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflict. His role in the "The Lost City of Z" was later taken over by Charlie Hunnam.