The 39-year-old actor will star alongside Dane DeHaan, Robert Pattinson, Ben Kingsley and Alessandra Mastronardi in the James Dean biopic, reported Variety.
The film's script was written by Luke Davies (Candy) and shooting has begun in Ontario, Canada.
The plot focuses on the friendship between Dean (played by DeHaan) and photographer Dennis Stock (Pattinson), which developed after Stock was commissioned to photograph the star for Life magazine in 1955.
Edgerton has reportedly signed up to portray Magnum Photography editor John Morris, who brokered the deal for the photos.
'Life' is scheduled for a 2015 release.