Renner will play a physics professor paired by the government with the linguist to help communicate with the aliens.

Eric Heisserer has written the script for the project, which is being produced by Glen Basner's FilmNation, David Linde's Lava Bear Films and 21 Laps' Shawn Levy and Dan Levine.

Paramount picked up rights to U.S. and Canada at 2014's Cannes for a reported $20 million.

The move solidifies a busy and high-profile 2015 for Renner. The actor makes up part of the ensemble of The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which opens on May 1, and follows that up with Mission: Impossible 5, which opens on July 31.

He will shoot Captain America: Civil War this spring, then segue to Story of Your Life in mid-June, working with Villeneuve, considered one of the hottest directors in town and who just booked the sequel to Blade Runner.

Renner is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Felker Toczek.

Read more Hollywood's Long-Standing Fascination With Robots

Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com

Twitter: @borys_kit