The Pirates of the Caribbean star will play an 18th Century aristocrat in the period drama which will be directed by Saul Dibb, best known for gangster flick Bullet Boy.
The film tells the story of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, and is based on the best-selling biography by Amanda Foreman.
An ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales, Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), lived an extravagant and promiscuous lifestyle, moved amongst the political elite and ran up huge gambling debts.
The script was written by Jeffrey Hatcher, and shooting begins in October.