Alicia Vikander and Riley Keough for The Earthquake Bird

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Alicia Vikander and Riley Keough are to co-star in new murder mystery 'The Earthquake Bird'.

The 'Tomb Raider' star and Riley - the granddaughter of Elvis Presley - are finalising deals to appear as friends Lucy and Lily in the thriller, which will be adapted from Susanna Jones' award-winning novel set in Japan, according to Deadline.

'The Earthquake Bird' sees Lucy arrested by Tokyo police for the murder of her friend and fellow ex-pat Lily.

As she recalls the events leading up to Lily's disappearance, a love triangle is revealed between the two women and Lucy's Japanese photographer boyfriend.

No actor has yet been cast for that role.

The movie is being scripted and directed by Wash Westmoreland, who helmed Julianne Moore in her Oscar-winning role in 'Still Alice'.

The director has links to the subject matter as he spent a year studying in Japan around the time the book is set.

Shooting is due to begin in May in Tokyo and Sado Island.

'The Earthquake Bird' adaptation was originally started at Amazon Studios but has now moved to Netflix.

Alicia, 29, has just appeared as female spy and action heroine Lara Croft in the new 'Tomb Raider' movie.

Riley, 28, starred alongside Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Daniel Craig in crime caper 'Logan Lucky' last year.

Alicia recently told how she was left "crippled" by the stunts on 'Tomb Raider'.

The 'Ex Machina' star threw herself into the stunt work as adventurer Lara and she initially found her rigorous training unbearably painful.

She said: "At first it hurts. So much so that you can't walk or get out of bed for the first three weeks. I was, like, crippled. I had pain places I didn't know existed."