Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth (the youngest brother of actors Chris Hemsworth and Luke Hemsworth) will replace Armie Hammer and take the lead role in the crime thriller Cut Bank directed by Matt Shakman.
Busy young Hemworth joins the already star-studded cast of John Malkovich, Ben Kingsley, Michael Sheen, Teresa Palmer, Billy Bob Thornton, Bruce Dern, Oliver Platt and Michael Stuhlbarg.
Cut Bank, a 2009 Black List script from Roberto Patino (Sons Of Anarchy) is serving as the feature directorial debut of Shakman (Mad Men).
The story follows 25-year-old Dwayne McLaren (Hemsworth), who once was an athlete and is now a mechanic, trying to get out of Cut Bank, Montana, the coldest town in America. But his efforts to do so set in motion a deadly series of events that change his life and the character of the town forever.
Producer Laura Rister stated:
Roberto has written a uniquely thrilling, darkly comic and incredibly soulful script that has attracted a first-class cast and crew. We're honored to be part of the talented team that will bring this timeless story to life.
Director Shakman earlier said:
Cut Bank is a clever morality tale, a visceral thriller and ultimately a surprising story of redemption. John Ford by way of David Fincher. [It] offers a director's dream: a great visual world and a brilliant collection of characters to populate it
Production commenced successfully this week in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Hemsworth, who will reprise his role as Gale Hawthorne in the upcoming Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire, gets his first forgettable thriller lead role with Paranoia coming to theaters September 27th, 2013.