John Cusack and Adrien Brody are to play lost Roman soldiers in new movie Dragon Blade.

The pair will join Jackie Chan among the cast of the historical epic, which is inspired by the tale of a missing legion of Romans which travelled into China in 48 Bc.

Chan tells The Hollywood Reporter, "I'm really excited to be in a movie with two of the most respected actors working today. It gives me confidence that the decade we spent researching and developing the script has produced something of world-class standard."

Cusack adds, "I grew up watching Jackie Chan films and stood in awe of his talent, energy and spirit. This will be a great adventure for me."

Director Daniel Lee will shoot scenes in the historic city of Dunhuang and in the Gobi Desert.