James McAvoy has signed on to star in I'm With Cancer, Mandate Pictures' comedic adaptation of the Will Reiser novel.

According to Variety, Nicole Holofcener will direct, and the pic will co-star Seth Rogen, who is also producing.

In the first major project McAvoy has agreed to star in since the Universal comicbook actioner Wanted and its upcoming sequel, the actor will play a 25-year-old who learns he has cancer and successfully battles the disease over several years.

The character is based on the real experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, who won his own fight with cancer in his mid-20s.

Reiser penned the script for the yet-to-be-titled film; Holofcener will begin lensing in January.