DEVITO BANKS ON BROSNAN AND SAOIRSE FOR SUCCESS

Hollywood heartthrob Pierce Brosnan is to reveal his mean side in a new kid-friendly film.

The former James Bond star, currently on the big screen in the smash hit musical Mamma Mia!, will play a ruthless captain in the family adventure The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.

Young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, 14, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the romantic drama Atonement, has landed the title role in the movie, which will be directed by diminutive actor-turned-film maker Danny DeVito.

It is based on the young-adult novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by the author who writes under the name Avi.

DeVito has written the screenplay for the film, which will also co-star Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman.

Saoirse's character is a daring teenager who makes a trans-Atlantic crossing from England to America in the 1830s and finds herself caught between a charismatic but scheming captain and a mutinous crew.

Young Charlotte finds herself caught up in an onboard rebellion as she braves the high-seas.

Freeman plays the ship's cook, who guides the young woman through the journey.

The film is already in pre-production with shooting planned to begin in September.

Brosnan's Irish DreamTime movie making company is among the film's producers.

DeVito, who will not appear in the film, returns to young adult fare for the first time as a  director since he made Matilda, the 1996 adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel.

He has worked on the script for several years.

"Like Matilda, this had topnotch moral lessons in terms of choices that a 13-year-old girl has to make," DeVito said.

The films he has directed have usually had a dark edge but he is mindful of his young target audience that will fill cinema seats to see the movie which is aiming to get a PG - parental guidance - rating in the U.S.

"I want edge, in terms of keeping you on the edge of your PG seat," he said. "You always want to push to the limit, but I want people to know I'll take care of the audience like I would my own children."