Catherine Zeta Jones in final talks to join Guy Pearce in theAustralia-UK co-production Death Defying Acts, a drama about Harry Houdini.

Filming is scheduled to begin later this summer in the UK withGillian Armstrong set to direct from a screenplay by Tony Grisoni and BrianWard.

The Australian Film Finance Corporation, BBC Films and MyriadPictures are financing the project.

Death Defying Acts takes place in the UK in 1926 as the renowned escapologistembarks upon an affair with an exotic psychic who tries to con him intobelieving she can make contact with his dead mother.

Chris Curling of Zephyr Films and Marian Macgowan of Macgowan FilmCompany are producing, with Dan Lupovitz and Marcia Nasatir serving asexecutive producers alonsgside Myriad chief Kirk D'Amico.

Myriad is handling worldwide sales and has already sold toBecker/Dendy for Australia/New Zealand and DeaPlaneta for Spain.

Zeta Jones is close to completing Scott Hicks' untitled remake of MostlyMartha in New York Cityopposite Aaron Eckhart for Warner Bros and Village Roadshow. Pictures.