Jessica Chastain and Kristen Wiig are in early talks to play the female leads alongside Matt Damon in 20th Century Fox's sci-fi adaptation The Martian.

The story is based on an e-book by Andy Weir, which centers on an American astronaut (Matt Damon) who becomes stranded on Mars and must find a way to make it back home in one piece. No details were given for the roles that Jessica Chastain and Kristen Wiig are in negotiations for, although Deadline reports that Jessica Chastain seems "likelier" to be set for the project than Kristen Wiig. Though it doesn't sound like they are competing for the same role.

Ridley Scott is directing from an adapted screenplay by Drew Goddard. Simon Kinberg, who initially brought the book to Ridley Scott, is producing alongside Aditya Sood. The project has come together quickly since Ridley Scott signed on to direct in June, with the studio expected to give the green light for production to start as soon as the deals are all finalized.

After starring in critically-acclaimed prestige projects such as The Tree of Life, The Help, Lawless, Zero Dark Thirty and this year's A Most Violent Year, Jessica Chastain has been shifting towards big-budget movies lately. She will next be seen in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar this November, and Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak next October.