Guy Ritchie is in talks to direct a film about the construction of the Empire State Building.

The 'Sherlock Holmes' director is being linked to a new Warner Bros.' project, 'Empire Rising', which is based on a romantic novel written by Thomas Kelly.

The book - published in 2006 - centres on an epic love triangle during the time of the Great Depression and the creation of the iconic New York City building in 1930.

The story finds a young artist named Grace Masterson caught in the middle of two suitors - Michael Briody, an Irish immigrant steelworker who also smuggles guns for the IRA, and Johnny Farrell, who is an employee of corrupt mayor, Jimmy Walker.

Author Kelly will write the script for the film, while Ritchie will produce with his partner Lionel Wigram.

As well as writing novels, Kelly has experience with writing for the screen as he scripted BBC America's TV series 'Copper'.

Ritchie is currently in pre-production on a big screen adaptation of classic TV show, 'The Man from the U.NC.L.E.', which will star Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer.