Sofia Coppola is set todirect Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman in her first major studio productionMarie-Antoinette for ColumbiaPictures.

Filming is scheduled tobegin in February 2005 in France, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion PictureGroup chairman Amy Pascal said yesterday (11)

Dunst is attached to playthe title role and Schwartzman will portray Louis XVI in the stylised accountof the 18th century French queen's life.

Coppola, who won the bestoriginal screenplay Oscar for Lost In Translation earlier this year, wrote the screenplay and willreunite with Translation producerRoss Katz through American Zoetrope.

Fred Roos, Francis FordCoppola, and Paul Rassam will serve as executive producers. Sony willdistribute the film worldwide with the exception of France and Japan, whereCoppola retains rights.

"Sofia has an unique andincredible vision for this film," Pascal said in a statement. "Wehave wanted to work with her for a long time, and couldn't be more thrilledabout Marie-Antoinette."

"I've always loved thestory of Marie-Antoinette and the decadence of Versailles on the brink ofrevolution and the fact she was just a teenager when circumstances forced herto play a significant role in history," Coppola said.

"The idea of seeing theworld of Marie-Antoinette through Sofia's eyes is just about the coolest thingI can imagine," Katz said, adding that the passionate commitment ofColumbia executives made the project a "dream scenario for filmmakers."

Matt Tolmach, co-presidentof production for Columbia Pictures, will oversee the production for thestudio.

Coppola's previous creditsare Lost in Translation, forwhich she also became the first American woman ever to receive a best directorAcademy Award nomination, and The Virgin Suicides.

Katz's credits include LostIn Translation and In The Bedroom. He began his career at Good Machine.

Dunst recently starred in Spider-Man2 for Columbia and worked withCoppola on The Virgin Suicides.Upcoming credits include Wimbledonand Elizabethtown.

Schwartzman starred in Rushmore and is about to start work on Bewitched with Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell for Columbia. Hewill be seen later this year in I Heart Huckabee's and Shopgirl.