Italian director Paolo Sorrentino will direct a new Netflix film.

The streaming service said in a press release Wednesday that Sorrentino, 50, will write and direct the new movie The Hand of God.

The Hand of God is produced by Sorrentino and Lorenzo Mieli of The Apartment Pictures. Production will take place in Sorrentino's hometown of Naples.

"I'm excited at the idea of filming in Naples again exactly twenty years after my first film," Sorrentino said, referencing his 2001 movie, One Man Up.

"The Hand of God represents for the first time in my career an intimate and personal film, a novel of formation at once light-hearted and painful," he added. "I'm delighted to partake in this adventure with producer Lorenzo Mieli, his company The Apartment and Netflix."

Netflix vice president of international original film David Kosse and head of Netflix films Scott Stuber had nothing but praise for Sorrentino.

"It's an honor to work with one of the greatest filmmakers in Europe and to bring his incredible story to the world," Kosse said.

"Paolo is an incredible storyteller who has cemented his place on the world cinema stage," Stuber added. "The Hand of God is a personal film that is taking him back to Naples, his hometown, and is a beautifully written story in his signature style."

The Hollywood Reporter speculated The Hand of God will have a connection to Argentinian soccer legend Diego Maradona, who played for Napoli and was nicknamed "The Hand of God."

Sorrentino has directed such films as The Consequences of Love, Il Divo and Youth. He also created, directed and wrote the HBO series The Young Pope and The New Pope.

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