Isle of Man regular Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean, Notes on a Scandal) will join Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), Rupert Everett (St Trinian's, My Best Friend's Wedding) and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) as cameras begin rolling next month.

Wild Target is a comedy about uptight Victor Maynard (Nighy), a middle-aged, solitary assassin, who lives to please his formidable mother Louisa (Eileen Atkins), despite his own peerless reputation for lethal efficiency. His professional routine is interrupted when he finds himself drawn to one of his intended victims, Rose (Emily Blunt).

He spares her life, unexpectedly acquiring a young apprentice in the process, Tony (Rupert Grint). Believing Victor to be a private detective, his two new companions tag along, while he attempts to thwart the murderous attentions of his unhappy client (Rupert Everett).

Directed by Jonathan Lynn (The Whole Nine Yards, My Cousin Vinny), from a screenplay by Lucinda Coxon (The Heart of Me), Wild Target is based on Pierre Salvadori's French hit Cible Émouvante.

The production, which began its London shoot on Tuesday, will arrive in the Isle of Man on October 7 for three weeks. Also in the starry cast will be Martin Freeman (The Office, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Love Actually) and Gregor Fisher (Lassie, Rab C Nesbitt).

Produced by Martin Pope (The Cottage, The Heart of Me) and Michael Rose (Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Werewolf, Chicken Run) of Magic Light Pictures, the film is backed by CinemaNX and will be filming at various locations around the Island, including St John's, Douglas and Ramsey.

Trade and Industry Minister David Cretney said: 'Wild Target is a great script which Isle of Man Film has developed with Magic Light Productions over recent years.

'We are absolutely delighted that the quality material has attracted such a fantastic cast and director and we look forward to welcoming all the cast and crew members to our shores for what we hope will be a happy and successful shoot.'

Wild Target will be the fourth film to shoot in the Island this year, joining A Bunch of Amateurs, Me and Orson Welles and Heartless.