Barry Keoghan has joined the cast of Amo Saddam, an Iraq War movie in which he will play a US soldier guarding former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein while the dictator awaits trial for crimes against humanity.
Chernobyl director Johan Renck will direct and the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Amo Saddam is scheduled to begin production this autumn and is based on the book The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid, about the 12 real soldiers who grew close to Saddam before his execution.
Speaking about Keoghan's casting, producer Michael Parets said: "Barry has proven himself time and time again to be an actor who is so adept at playing really complex characters and we couldn't be happier having him as our lead for what is going to be a challenging, ambitious and hopefully really special film."
Dublin-born actor Keoghan is nominated for a Best Actor at this Sunday's Baftas for this role in Saltburn. He won the Bafta Best Supporting Actor prize last year for The Banshees of Inisherin.
Amo Saddam is still looking for an actor to portray Hussein, and The Hollywood Reporter says producers but are hoping to find someone from the region who speaks Arabic.
Keoghan can currently be seen in Apple TV+'s Masters of the Air and will also star with Christopher Abbott in the thriller Bring Them Down.
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