Stellan Skarsgard to star in 'The Painted Bird'

Los Angeles: Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard has been roped in to star in the screen adaptation of Polish writer Jerzy Kosinski's controversial novel "The Painted Bird". Skarsgard, who will essay the role of a soldier in the film, will be joined by German actor Udo Kier, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Filming has begun on the adaptation of the controversial Holocaust story. Petr Kotlar, Czech child actor, will play the young Jewish boy, while actor Harvey Keitel is also in negotiations to appear in the film. "'The Painted Bird' was a lovely book and a lovely screenplay.

You are probably familiar with the story -- it follows a young boy and his encounters with a lot of different people, and I am one of them," Skarsgard said. The black-and-white film will be shot over 105 days, and a world premiere of the film is planned for May 2019.