Jessica Alba is set to star in 'Barely Lethal' with Hailee Steinfeld.

The 'Sin City' actress has signed on for a villainous role in the new action movie, which will also star Samuel L. Jackson, according to ScreenDaily.com.

The movie centres on a teenage assassin (Steinfeld) who fakes her death to get away from her employers and starts a new life in the suburbs as a high school student. However, former associate Victoria Knox (Alba) suspects something is not quite right and goes on a mission to hunt down the young protagonist.

'Fanboys' director Kyle Newman will helm the film based on a script from relatively new screenwriter John D'Arco.

'X-Men: The Last Stand' director Brett Ratner is set to produce the movie through his Rat Entertainment production company, along with Sukee Chew from Hopscotch Pictures, Ted Hartley and Vanessa Coifman of RKO Pictures.

Alba recently joined the cast of dark comedy 'Stretch', in which she'll star alongside Patrick Wilson and 'Star Trek Into Darkness' hunk Chris Pine.

The stunning actress is also set to reprise her role as Nancy Callahan in 'Sin City: A Dame to Kill For', which is due for release in 2014.