Emerging stars Rashida Jones and Chris Messina will play the leads in “Monogamy,” an indie romantic comedy that marks the scripted-feature debut of “Murderball” co-director Dana Adam Shapiro.

Described by filmmakers as a “cautionary tale about sex, photography and fear of marriage,” the film will center on the trials a young couple faces. Shapiro wrote the script with Evan Wiener.

The movie is expected to unspool on the festival circuit in early 2010.

Shapiro earned acclaim for “Murderball,” his story of wheelchair-bound athletes training to compete in the Paralympic Games; the documentary, which he directed with Henry Alex Rubin, was nominated for the best documentary Oscar.

Shapiro will direct an adaptation of his novel “Every Boy” for Plan B Entertainment and is on board to write “Holler,” a racial drama that’s set up at Screen Gems. Wiener co-wrote “Wild Child” with director Larry Clark, and is set to stage his play “The Eichmann Disguise” in New York.

Jones (“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation”) starred opposite Paul Rudd in bromantic comedy “I Love You, Man” and will star in the divorce-themed comedy-drama “Celeste and Jesse Forever,” which she co-wrote with Will McCormack.

Messina has had a number of character turns on the big and small screen, including shows such as “Six Feet Under” and films like “Julie & Julia.” He has a role in Noah Baumbach’s upcoming “Greenberg,” a drama starring Ben Stiller.

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