Peter Jackson will direct for DreamWorks

Oscar winner Rachel Weisz will team up with fellow Academy favorite Peter Jackson on his adaptation of "The Lovely Bones."

DreamWorks won the bidding for Jackson's take on the Alice Sebold bestseller last month, ponying up at least $65 million for the privilege. Production on "Lovely Bones" will begin in October with the "King Kong" director committed to bringing a final cut to Paramount for distribution in the fourth quarter of 2008.

According to the industry trade papers, Weisz will play the mother of the film's central young woman, a girl who looks down on her family and friends after being raped and murdered.

Jackson wrote the script along with Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, his "Lord of the Rings" partners.

Apparently "Lovely Bones" didn't present the same scheduling problems for Weisz as the third installment of the "Mummy" franchise. The "Constant Gardener" Oscar winner bailed on that big-budget in April. Last seen in "The Fountain," Weisz has "The Brothers Bloom" and "Dirt Music" on tap.