MUMBAI: Keira Knightley is said to be in talks to join actor-director Kenneth Branagh's upcoming film Jack Ryan. It stars Chris Pine in the titular role while Knightley would play the leading lady.

Said to be a prequel to Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novel series, the forthcoming film follows Pine's titular character who is a Moscow-based financial analyst.

In the race to bag the role, the actress beat several Hollywood beauties like Evangeline Lilly and Felicity Jones among others. This is the first time that Knightley will be collaborating with Branagh, who will also play a supporting role in the yet-untitled project.