Sean Bean joins Matt Damon in new Ridley Scott film The Martian

The actor will reportedly play a Nasa astronaut

Sean Bean played Ned Stark in the first season of 'Game of Thrones' (Getty Images)

Sean Bean has reportedly joined the cast of Ridley Scott’s forthcoming sci-fi film The Martian.

The actor is said to have signed on to the space survival drama starring Matt Damon.

The story follows an astronaut, played by Damon, who hopes he can survive long enough for Nasa to organise a rescue mission after his is stranded in a Martian colony.

Bean is due to play a Nasa flight director, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The star-studded cast already includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Michael Pena and House of Cards actress Kate Mara.

Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott, whose films include Blade Runner, Alien, Prometheus and American Gangster will also serve as a producer on the movie.

Bean has recently finished production on forthcoming sci-fi films Pixels and Jupiter Ascending.

This year he has starred in the first season of Fox’s new TV crime drama series Legends, in which he plays undercover FBI agent Martin Odum who changes himself into a different person for each case.

His other TV credits include Game of Thrones, Family Guy and Missing.

The Martian will be released in the UK on 27 November 2015.