Hollywood Reporter says that Davis will play the role of Mrs. Muller, the part created on Broadway by Adriane Lenox. Lenox won a Tony for her performance as the mother of the boy who may or may not have been molested by a priest.

The industry paper also says that Amy Adams — currently enchanting audiences in Disney's "Enchanted" — is in negotiations to play the role of the young nun, Sister James.

As previously reported, Academy Award winners Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman will star as, respectively, Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn.

Shanley, an Academy Award winner for his screenplay to "Moonstruck," has written the screenplay and will direct "Doubt" for producer Scott Rudin and Miramax.

Viola Davis won a Tony Award for her work in August Wilson's King Hedley II. Her other stage credits include Intimate Apparel, Seven Guitars, Everybody's Ruby, As You Like It, House of Lear and God's Heart. She also has appeared in the films "Traffic," "Antwone Fisher," "Far from Heaven," "Syriana" and the television series "Century City." Variety previously reported that the "Doubt" film cast will be expanded to include others in the Bronx school community, including the young black student who is the center of the play's controversial accusations. The play is set in 1964. Production on the film began in Manhattan a week ago.

The play about a Bronx Catholic school nun who suspects a priest of wrongdoing was a sensation from its 2004 start at Manhattan Theatre Club's Stage I Off-Broadway. Doubt moved to Broadway in 2005, snagged the Tony Award for Best Play (as well as two performance awards and one for direction) and played 525 performances before closing in July 2006.

The stage roles were created by Cherry Jones as Sister Aloysius, Heather Goldenhersh as the young Sister James, Brian O'Byrne as Father Flynn and Adriane Lenox as Mrs. Muller, the boy's mother.