Natalie Dormer to star in 'Professor and the Madman' alongside Sean Penn and Mel Gibson

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Game of Thrones and Hunger Games actress Natalie Dormer will star in the film adaptation of The Professor and the Madman.

The Wrap reports Dormer will join Mel Gibson and Sean Penn in the film based on Simon Winchester's novel about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dormer will play a widow whose husband was killed by insane asylum inmate and dictionary contributor Dr. W.C. Minor, played by Penn.

Penn and Dormer's characters will reportedly engage in a complicated romance after Penn's character offers to help her family.

Gibson will produce the film and portray Professor James Murray, who began compiling the dictionary.

The film will be directed by Farhad Safinia, who wrote Gibson's 2006 film Apocalypto.