Scotsman James McAvoy is set to star in new thriller Trance.

The X-Men: First Class actor is in talks to take on one of the lead roles of the Danny Boyle-directed movie as original favorite Michael Fassbender is now out of the running.

The film tells the story of an assistant at an art auction house planning a daring robbery alongside a notorious gang leader (McAvoy). However, the assistant suffers a blow to the head and loses his memory, prompting the gang to try to pry the information on the stolen painting's whereabouts from his puzzled brain using a hypnotist's skills.

Oscar-winning director Boyle is aiming to start shooting the movie in September, before he concentrates on coordinating the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics. Once that's over, he will edit the film, before it is released in March 2013.