Norwegian actor-director Aksel Hennie is to star in Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg's Max Manus, a $8.4m (Euros 6.1m) World War II epic produced by John M Jacobsen and Sveinung Golimo for Filmkameratene.

After his 2004 directorial debut, Uno, Hennie returned to acting in Danish director Jesper W Nielsen's Through a Glass, Darkly, the screen adaptation of Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder's novel.

Max Manus is scripted by Thomas Nordseth-Tiller from Manus' autobiographical books, and in collaboration with the Manus family, including his 93-year-old widow, Tikken.

Manus (1914-1996) joined the Norwegian resistance and was a member of the Oslo Gang, specialising in ship sinking, including the spectacular sabotages of the Monte Rosa in 1944 and the Donau troop ship in 1945, which stopped German reinforcements getting to the western front.

Manus was arrested by the Gestapo but escaped to England, only to return to fight. He rose to the rank of lieutenant, was awarded the War Cross with two swords - the highest Norwegian medal for bravery - and the British Military Cross with bar.

Directors Rønning-Sandberg's first feature was the Luc Besson-written and produced western comedy, Bandidas (2006), starring Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek. Under the name of Rosenberg, the duo have directed and produced more than 500 commercials worldwide.

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