Morgan Freeman and Forest Whitaker are in talks to join John Travolta in the action-thriller “The Poison Rose.”

George Gallo will direct from a script he wrote with Richard Salvatore, based on Salvatore’s novel of the same name. Salvatore will produce through his March on Productions with Jeff Elliott (“Imperium”), Oscar Generale (“Speed Kills”), and David Ornston.

Christian Mercuri of Blue Box International, a division of Capstone Group, will be commencing sales at the European Film Market at the Berlin Film Festival. BondIt Media Capital and Sherborne Media Capital are providing financing for the picture.

Ella Bleu Travolta, John Travolta’s daughter, also stars in the film. She will portray the daughter of Travolta’s character, Carson Philips. The Travoltas last appeared together in the comedy feature “Old Dogs.”

Gallo, whose credits include “Midnight Run” and “Bad Boys,” recently wrapped the biopic “Bigger” for producers Steve Lee Jones and Scott LaStaiti.

“Poison Rose” is described as being in the style of detective dramas like “Chinatown,” “L.A. Confidential,” and “The Long Goodbye.” Travolta will play a down-on-his-luck PI who enjoys his share of drinking, smoking, and gambling along with having a soft spot for a lady in distress. The case starts out appearing fairly routine, and slowly reveals itself to be a complex interwoven web of crimes, suspects, and dead bodies.

Freeman will portray “Doc,” the godfather crime boss of Galveston, Texas. Whitaker will play the shady owner of the town’s sanitarium for the rich and disillusioned.

Travolta recently wrapped the action-drama “Trading Paint” and stars in the upcoming biopic “Gotti.” Freeman was awarded the Life Achievement Award at last month’s SAG Awards and will next shoot “Angel Has Fallen.” Whitaker is starring in Disney-Marvel’s “Black Panther.”

Travolta is managed by Randi Michel at Principato-Young Entertainment. Whitaker is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment. Freeman is repped by CAA.