The trades are reporting that Inception and Batman Begins star Cillian Murphy is in the final stages of negotiation to take on a role in New Regency and 20th Century Fox’s new science fiction drama, I’m.mortal.

Murphy will be joining Alpha Dog co-stars Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake (also working out an agreement) on the title. The movie is set in a future where we’ve figured out how to combat aging and live forever, but to control the world from a suffocating over-population crisis, time has been turned into currency. This allows the rich to live as long as they want to, and the poor to figure out a way to keep living or die off trying.

The story revolves around a homeless man (Timberlake) who can’t afford his immortality, but unexpectedly acquires a massive amount of wealth. Hand-in-hand with his new-found financial improvement, the man is targeted in a murder investigation and ends up on the run, kidnapping an heiress (Seyfried) in the process. Murphy would be playing one of the officers in pursuit of Timberlake, part of an organization known as the Timekeepers.

This is yet another completely fictional futuristic film whose premise may not be so absurd as it sounds. We reviewed a documentary recently called To Age or Not To Age that talks about the incredible breakthroughs and ongoing research within the realms of extending the human lifespan. With the discoveries already made, many believe a human can reach 150 to 200-years-old while still existing as a 60-year-old does today. Some even think that our lifespans can be extended indefinitely. Very real studies such as this can make a movie like I’m.mortal that much more intriguing to see.

I’m.mortal is set to be directed by Andrew Niccol, who’s previous works include writing The Truman Show and The Terminal, as well as writing and directing Gattaca, S1m0ne, and Lord of War.

[Source: Heat Vision]