Pope Francis has been a rather unique bearer of his title. He is unafraid of going against the grain as he looks to reform the Roman Catholic Church.

And for all his work thus far he has acquired the status of a celebrity on par with a movie star. That of course is fitting because the Pope is slated to be just that, marking the first time that a holder of the Holy Office appears in a motion picture.

According to Variety, the film will be produced by AMBI Pictures and is a family adventure that will teach children the messages of Jesus.

The film is a clear reflection of the times, with faith-based projects among the most successful genre of film over the last few years. "God's Not Dead" and "Heaven Is For Real" are among those films that have been huge box office hits with the religious community.

"Our excitement and gratitude toward His Holiness, Pope Francis participating in this film is beyond words," said AMBI co-founder Andrea Iervolino, who is one of the financers for the film. "This is not just a movie for us, it's a message, and who better to have on your side to deliver an important societal and spiritual message than the Pope."

Throughout his term, Francis has been very active in his attempts to reform the Church. He has spoken about making changes to the church's stance on marriage and divorce, though his efforts have not extended to the LGBT community. While he has been willing to contemplate the conversation, he has been noncommittal on the subject of same-sex marriage.

Depictions of the Pope have been rampant throughout the history of cinema, though there has never been a sitting Pope who has actually appeared in a film. To be fair, though, there have only been 11 popes since the advent of cinema.

"Beyond the Sun" is slated for production in Italy this year.

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