Cathy Yan is to direct 'The Freshening'.

The 'Birds of Prey' filmmaker will helm and write the new sci-fi romance based on Rachel Khong's short story.

The movie is set in a near future where tensions over race and gender have reached a violent extreme. The US government have introduced a public health initiative known as 'The Freshening' where every citizen receives an injection so they see others as the same race and gender as themselves.

However, a street drug hits the scene and offers people the chance to see the world as it really is and threatens to disrupt the 'freshened' society.

FilmNation have acquired the rights to the project and will back the film. Ali Wong has also boarded the project as a producer with Hyperobject Industries and Rewild.

In a statement confirming her involvement in the project, Cathy, 38, said: "'The Freshening' is exactly the type of daring and timely film that excites me as a writer and director, and that Ash (Sarohia) and I started Rewild to produce.

"I'm delighted to get to work with like-minded collaborators Ali Wong, Hyperobject and FilmNation to bring this bold and impactful story to the screen."

FilmNation's Ben Browning and Ashley Fox added: "When we read 'The Freshening' we were blown away by this timely and provocative story. Developing this film with Cathy and all our fantastic partners is going to be a one-of-a-kind experience in filmmaking."

Wong said: "I was so haunted by Rachel Khong's compelling and high concept story when I read it.

"'The Freshening' is unlike anything I've ever worked on and I'm thrilled to develop it into a film with everyone involved. From the beginning, it was my dream for Cathy Yan to write and direct this project and I'm so incredibly grateful it came true."