Los Angeles, Mar 16 (IANS): "Moonlight" star Ashton Sanders is in final negotiations to take on the lead role of Bigger Thomas in a movie version of Richard Wrights novel "Native Son".

Nick Robinson, the lead actor in gay teen romance-drama "Love, Simon", is also in talks to join the cast along with Margaret Qualley, Kiki Layne and Bill Camp, reports variety.com.

Entertainment company A24, which released "Moonlight," announced on Thursday that it has acquired worldwide rights to "Native Son" with a new adaptation written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.

Conceptual artiste Rashid Johnson will make his feature directing debut.

"A24 is active with some of the best filmmakers and films today. We're excited to have a partner that shares our enthusiasm for this amazing and deeply complicated material. We look forward to working with them to bring Richard Wright's powerful story to life," said Johnson.

The movie is set in present day Chicago, Johnson's hometown. In the 1940 novel, Bigger Thomas is a 20-year-old African American living in poverty in Chicago's South Side in the 1930s.