French actor Vincent Cassel, who featured in Ocean's 12, is to head to Australia soon to film a sci-fi movie starring Orlando Bloom and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko.

The multi-national cast, which also includes US actor John Goodman, is to appear in The Cross by New Zealand-born director Andrew Niccol, who made Gattaca and Lord of War.

The title of the new film "is a sort of metaphor on borders in general", Cassel said during a visit to Brazil to promote a French movie festival.

He explained that Bloom was to star as a man determined to cross the frontier, while he would play the antagonist just as committed to stopping him.

Kurylenko, the Ukrainian-born actress who played in the latest James Bond flick Quantum of Solace, will be their mutual love interest.

Cassel said filming would begin in the next few months.

AFP