London, Jan 26 : Actor James Franco, who is to host the Oscars next month, will helm a movie based on a novel.

"This summer I'm going to direct a movie based on William Faulkner's novel 'As I Lay Dying'," contactmusic. com quoted him as saying.

"I shoot a test of the whole movie before I make it. So we just shot a test."

Franco is keen to star Michael Shannon alongside Richard Jenkins and Joaquin Phoenix.

He has been nominated for the Oscars for his role in "127 Hours".(IANS)