Ex-Monty Python member Terry Jones is to write and direct romantic comedy Mirror Man for Messiah Pictures, the UK production company he founded last year.

Jones is to shoot the story of a man whose mirror image comes to life and misbehaves early next year, according to Messiah executive producer Alan Broach. The comedian, whose solo directing credits include 1996 adaptation The Wind In The Willows, 1989's Erik The Viking and Monty Python's 1979 classic, Life Of Brian, is writing the script with French writer Philippe Le Guay.

Messiah's debut slate will kick off with Julian Doyle's comedy western Das Cowboy. The £5.4m production, which starts shooting in Spain late this month, stars Robert Carlyle, Ray Winstone, Elsa Pataky, Moritz Bleibtreu, Claire Forlani and Stacey Keach. Jones is to make a cameo.

Broach expects an autumn shoot for The Chemical Wedding, a story about occultist Alasteir Crowley which Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is writing. At least part of the financing may come through stockmarket darling The Sanctuary Group, which has music management interests including Iron Maiden and Guns 'n' Roses.