Colin Firth to star in director John Madden's next

Oscar winner Colin Firth will be teaming up with director John Madden for the World War II story "Operation Mincemeat".

The film, described as a stranger-than-fiction true story, is based on Ben Macintyre's book of the same name, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Madden, whose 1998 feature "Shakespeare in Love" won the best picture Oscar at the 71st Academy Awards, will direct the project from a screenplay by Michelle Ashford.

Ashford is best known for creating popular TV series "Master of Sex".

The story takes place in 1943, as the Allies prepare to launch an all-out assault on Nazi-held Europe. They face a seemingly impossible task -- to protect a massive invasion force from entrenched German firepower and avert a potential massacre.

Two intelligence officers, Ewen Montagu (Firth) and Charles Cholmondeley, dream up an inspired disinformation strategy, centred on the corpse of a dead man.

The film hails from See-Saw Films and Cohen Media Group production in association with Archery Pictures. It will be produced by Charles S Cohen, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Kris Thykier.