From Variety comes word that Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) is set to helm the Roman military drama The Eagle of the Ninth for Focus Features and Film 4.

Written by Jeremy Brock, the drama is set in the second century AD and revolves around a wounded Roman soldier and his loyal Celtic slave (played by Jamie Bell) who try to solve the mystery of the Ninth Legion, a brigade of Roman soldiers that vanished after heading into the untamed Highlands of Scotland 15 years earlier.

Channing Tatum is in talks to play the role of the soldier. Shooting begins this August on location in Hungary and Scotland.