Though she’s now the star of two major franchises, Jennifer Lawrence has no plans to turn her back on smaller-scale dramas.  It was announced today that the Oscar nominee is attached to star in the romantic drama The Ends of the Earth, which is based on the lives of Ernest and Lydie Marland.  The pic centers on the controversial love affair between the oil baron/eventual Governor of Oklahoma and his adopted daughter and how their relationship lost Ernest everything he had.  Lydie was adopted as a girl by her aunt and uncle as their daughter, and Ernest went on to actually marry Lydie.  The young woman fought for better conditions for his workers (ie. raised wages and better medical care).

No male lead or director is currently attached, but the film has a script by Chris Terrio (Argo).  The Weinstein Company is in final negotiations to acquire the project, so I expect we’ll hear much more in the coming months.  Lawrence appears this fall in David O. Russell’s drama The Silver Linings Playbook and recently wrapped the thriller Serena.  She’ll next shoot The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and the X-Men: First Class sequel Days of Future Past back-to-back.  Hit the jump to read the press release.

Here’s the press release:

New York, NY – August 6, 2012 – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that they will finance and distribute THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. They have acquired worldwide rights from Escape Artists, who will produce the film. Jennifer Lawrence (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, THE HUNGER GAMES, WINTER’S BONE) is in discussions to star in the epic love story, based on true events, as Lydie Marland. In THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, powerful oil tycoon Ernest Marland loses everything after engaging in a controversial love affair with his adopted daughter Lydie. The screenplay was written by Chris Terrio (ARGO). The director has yet to be chosen. The announcement was made today by TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein, COO David Glasser and President of Production Dylan Sellers.

Said Weinstein, “I’m not sure that anything resonates more with an audience than a true story. Jennifer Lawrence shows the skill of a seasoned veteran in everything she does, and we’re thrilled to work with her again.”

Added Sellers, “Chris has brought to life with his writing one of the most epic love stories that people have yet to really discover. We knew right away that this script was something special.”

“Uniting with TWC on this project will allow this amazing true story to come to life in an artful and beautiful way,” said Escape Artists’ principal co-owner Todd Black. “We couldn’t be happier to be on board with them and to get the chance to uncover this story for audiences everywhere.”

TWC and Escape Artists made the deal based on the screenplay by Terrio. The deal was negotiated by TWC’s Glasser, President, Business and Legal Affairs Andrew Kramer, and VP, Business and Legal Affairs Adrian Lopez and Escape Artists Executive Vice President David Bloomfield. Sellers and Julie Rapaport, Vice President, Production and Business Development, will oversee the film for TWC along with Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Lance Johnson.