We reported last week that actor Eddie Redmayne was set for the lead role of Albert in Steven Spielberg's new film, which was denied by DreamWorks, and now the cast seems to be officially set. Empire is reporting that actor Jeremy Irvine has been cast in the lead as Albert in War Horse and Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, David Thewlis and Benedict Cumberbatch have signed on to the film as well.

Watson and Mullan will play Albert's parents while Cumberbatch will portray Major Stewart. All that was known about Thewlis' character is he will be named Lyons. Niels Arestrup will also join the cast as an older man who takes Albert in and Cecile Buckens will play his granddaughter. Nicolas Bro, David Kross, Leonard Carow, Rainer Bock, Robert Emms and Patrick Kennedy have also signed on to the film, in unspecified roles.

The site also reported that Tom Hiddleston and Stephen Graham were in negotiations to join the film as well. Steven Spielberg will be directing the film from a script by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis, which they adapted from the best-selling book by Michael Morpurgo. Here's a brief rundown of the story.

"In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?"