Russell Crowe will lead an all-star cast in an upcoming western about Ned Kelly to be filmed in Australia next year.

X-Men and Mad Max: Fury Road star Nicholas Hoult, Australian actress Essie Davis (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and The Babadook), and British actor George MacKay (Captain Fantastic) have also signed up for the film, based on Peter Carey’s Booker Prize-winning novel, True History of the Kelly Gang.

Snowtown director Justin Kurzel will direct the feature, due to start filming in Victoria from March of next year with writer Shaun Grant (Snowtown, Jasper Jones) on hand to adapt Carey’s uncompromising gothic western for the big screen.

“Peter Carey’s book The True History of the Kelly Gang always felt like the true spirit of Ned Kelly. Unsentimental, brutal, raw and visceral,” Kurzel said.

“His story is one of the great odysseys in history, and I feel excited to be bringing it to the screen with a fresh cinematic eye.

“This is a really unique and modern cast, and I am so proud to be working with such a talented ensemble of new faces and celebrated actors.”

The latest bad boy in Netflix hit Stranger Things, Australian actor Dacre Montgomery, has also joined the cast of the movie along with Vikings star Travis Fimmel.

The film is financed by Romulus Entertainment, a new production company launched by Fences executive producer Brad Feinstein and has received major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with Film Victoria and Film4.

-AAP