Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon, wife of his workout buddy Ryan Phillippe (where can one order a locker room hidden cam) are in final negotiations to star in New Line Cinema's Middle East political thriller "Rendition" reports the trades.

"Rendition" is Director Gavin Hood's follow-up to his Oscar-winning South African feature "Tsotsi", with Kelly Sane having penned the script acquired by the studio back in May. Production is rushing forward with a November start date planned.

The multilayered story revolves around a CIA analyst (Gyllenhaal) based in Cairo who finds his world spinning out of control after he witnesses the interrogation of a foreign national by the Egyptian secret police. Witherspoon will play the pregnant American wife of the national.