Emma Stone, Michael Keaton to Lead Dark Comedy BIRDMAN

Movieie reports that Michael Keaton ('RoboCop'), Emma Stone ('The Amazing Spider-Man'), Naomi Watts ('The Impossible') and Zach Galifianakis ('The Hangover') have all signed on to star in the upcoming dark-comedy BIRDMAN.

Alejandro González Iñárritu will direct the tale which follows "a former actor, who once played an iconic superhero, as he mounts a Broadway play based on a Raymond Carver short story in a bid to reclaim past glory. However, the play's egotistical leading man threatens to throw everything down the tubes." Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo co-wrote the script.

Keaton, best known for his role as 'Batman' in Tim Burton's 1989 and 1992 films, will take on the lead, playing the comic book movie star. Stone will portray Keaton's daughter, fresh from rehab and now his assistant. Watts will be an actress in the play, while Galifianakis will play the production's conniving producer.

Production is scheduled to begin this April start with Gonzalez Inarritu directing from a script he co-wrote with Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo.