Forest Whitaker will star in the 3rd film in Oscar-nominated Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb‘s trilogy of English-language films that will explore the complex relationship between the west and the Arab world.

“The questions I’m asking in my movies here in America are ‘Where are we?’ and ‘Where are we going?’ and ‘Why do we need to have hope in this relationship?’” the director of Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), his most recent work, and London River before that (both films we’ve covered on S&A) said.

In the yet-to-be-titled film, Whitaker will play a Muslim released from prison into a small town in the Southwest USA, that’s seething with anti-Muslim sentiment.

The first two films in the trilogy will be: Just Like A Woman starring Sienna Miller and Iranian actress Golshifteh as 2 disenchanted wives who meet after running away from their respective broken marriages; and a comedy that centers on a French-Arabic cop sent to work in partnership with a woman detective in Los Angeles. It’ll be titled Belleville’s Cop.

The 3 films are expected to be released starting next year: the first, which just completed principal photography is due in 2012; the second in 2013; and the 3rd with Forest Whitaker to shoot in 2013 for a 2014 release.

Given the past work of both gentlemen, I’d say this should be something to watch for… in 3 years though. Though I’d certainly recommend watching the first 2 films in the trilogy as well.