(Cover) - EN Movies - Ed Westwick will star as Tybalt in a new adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

The 23-year-old British star, who is best known for his role as Chuck Bass in the hit US TV series Gossip Girl, is in final negotiations to play Juliet's cousin in the popular Shakespeare tragedy.

According to Variety, the actor will join Hailee Steinfeld, who is starring in the title role as Juliet, and Holly Hunter, who recently joined the cast as Juliet's trusted nurse. The role of Romeo has yet to be cast.

Italian director Carlo Carlei, who is best known for creating Flight of the Innocent, will helm the film, and Julian Fellowes wrote the screenplay.

It has been almost 15 years since Baz Luhrmann created an adaptation of the famous Shakespearean play, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the title roles.

Production is set to begin this summer in Italy. (C) Cover Media