DeVito himself will not appear in the period film.

Danny DeVito is set to direct his own adapted screenplay, 'The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle,' which will star Pierce Brosnan, Morgan Freeman and 14-year-old Saoirse Ronan. 

A press release said the family action adventure, set in 1832, is the story of a daring young girl (Ronan) who braves the dangerous high seas aboard a ship with a ruthless captain and a mutinous crew. It's based on the top-selling, award winning novel of the same name.  

DeVito himself will not star in the film, which is expected to begin shooting in September. HandMade Films is providing production financing along with New York-based property and hotel group Plaza Productions International.