Pope Pius IX portrayed in Steven Spielberg's latest film

Steven Spielberg's newest film is about a kidnapped Jewish boy raised as a Catholic who grows to become a priest.

Steven Spielberg's latest film, "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara," will tell the true story of how a six-year-old's kidnapping relates to Pope Pius IX, the crumbling of the then Papacy and how Italy was unified through the culmination of events.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Filming for "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" is set to begin once Spielberg concludes "Ready Player One," a film about video games in the future.

The filming for "Ready Player One" is not expected to conclude until the end of 2016, indicating "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" will not begin production until 2017.

Pope Pius IX played a large role in young Edgardo's life and actor Mark Rylance has been case to portray history's longest-serving Pope.

No other cast members have been named.

"The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" is a true story based on the 1997 book of the same name.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Spielberg has been considering the project since 2008, when DreamWorks acquired the rights.

The book takes place in Bologna, Italy, 1858. A young Jewish boy is secretly baptized then stolen from his family to be raised as a Catholic.

Though his parents fight for his return, the boy falls into a political battle between the Papacy and Italian unification. The film's release is currently set for Fall 2017.

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