Joseph Gordon-Levitt is stepping behind the cameras to direct a new comedy.

The Inception actor also penned and will star in the movie alongside Hollywood beauty Scarlett Johansson.

Joseph told Deadline he will be playing a modern day Don Juan character, adding: "I wrote myself a helluva role, one that people wouldn't necessarily have thought of me for."

The 30-year-old will be making his directorial debut on the as-yet-untitled project and revealed that making movies was always part of his plan.

He said: "I was a child actor for years and quit at 19, went to school awhile, and a big part of why I came back was that I ultimately wanted to make movies.

"I spent a year working with Chris Nolan, Rian Johnson, Steven Spielberg, and I did my best to pay attention. I've also been making short films for a long time now, I've directed a ton of them, and that is a huge part of why I feel comfortable and confident in this."