Dakota Fanning is to appear in a film adaptation of Philip Roth's prize-winning novel 'American Pastoral'.

The exciting new film will feature Ewan McGregor and Jennifer Connelly, as well as Fanning, who has just been added to the impressive cast roster.

Until now, Roth has remained one of few literary titans who has not been afforded the Hollywood treatment, but Australian director Phillip Noyce looks set to change that.

The flick is set during the Vietnam War and centres on the story of Seymour 'Swede' Levov (McGregor), who was once a high-achieving high-school athlete, who's married to a beauty queen (Connelly) and takes control of the business he's inherited from his father.

Their lives appear to be progressing nicely until his daughter Merry - who is to be played Fanning - joins the a counter-culture movement and commits an act of terrible violence.

Production on the film is set to begin in Pittsburgh in March 2015.

Between then and now, Fanning will be busy shooting scenes for Emma Thompson's 'Effie' and 'The Last Of Robin Hood', the Errol Flynn biopic.