Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki join The Bodyguard movie

Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki are to co-star in a romantic-comedy movie.

The Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls stars are to appear in a big screen adaptation of Katherine Center's novel The Bodyguard.

According to Deadline, Andie MacDowell, Walker Hayes, Noah LaLonde, and Toby Sandeman are also part of the cast for the forthcoming film.

In the 2022 book, a bodyguard is enlisted to protect an action star over the holiday season, but sparks begin to fly leading to a complex Christmas.

Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum will direct the motion picture, and she admitted one of the major reasons for taking on the role was due to the "overwhelming enthusiasm" for the book on TikTok.

She said: "I began paying close attention to BookTok culture around the success of my last Netflix Film, Purple Hearts.

"The overwhelming enthusiasm on social media and with readers for Katherine Center’s novel was a major factor in my decision to come on board as director.

"It’s been amazing to work closely with Katherine so far, and to see her so excited about moving her witty story about a no-nonsense bodyguard to an A-list actor into the holiday season.

"It makes the most gorgeous backdrop for the sparks that fly between them to be even brighter at that time of year."

Rosenbaum also insisted Meester and Padalecki are "perfect" as the leading characters.

She added: "Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki are perfect as our leads, and I know audiences are going to love seeing them on screen together."

The movie will be produced by leading star Jared and his wife, Supernatural actress Genevieve Padalecki, as well as Little Engine Productions' Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo.

Erin Cardillo and Richard Keith have penned the script for the romantic-comedy.