Barbra Streisand to direct 'Catherine the Great' for the big screen

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Actress, recording artist and director Barbra Streisand will helm Catherine the Great, producer Gil Netter has confirmed.

Casting is now underway for the historical drama, which was penned by Kristina Lauren Anderson.

"The film is about a young, sensual Catherine trapped into an abusive marriage with the heir to the Russian throne. But, when her inept husband proves incapable of ruling, she utilizes her intelligence, fortitude, and passion to rise to power, becoming Catherine the Great. Anderson's script was honored with the top spot on 2014's Black List, an insider's list of Hollywood's best yet unproduced screenplays," a news release noted.

Streisand, 73, previously directed 1983's Yentl, 1991's The Prince of Tides and 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces. The trio of films earned a total of 14 Oscar nominations.