Laura Vandervoort

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Laura Poitras' skill and boldness as a documentary filmmaker have gained her Oscar and Emmy nominations, Sundance Film Festival honors and a public TV showcase, even if her work fell short of making a "Super Size Me" splash.

The killer cast for the Kilburn Media thriller now includes a starring role for Liam Hemsworth (Armie Hammer was originally attached as the lead). Hemsworth now joins John Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton, Teresa Palmer, Bruce Dern, Oliver Platt and Michael Stuhlbarg in the pic that is serving as the feature directorial debut of Matt Shakman (Mad Men, Six Feet Under). Cut Bank, a 2009 Black List script from Sons Of Anarchy‘s Roberto Patino, centers on 25-year-old Dwayne McLaren (Hemsworth), a former-athlete-turned-auto-mechanic who dreams of getting out of Cut Bank, MT, 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. Production began this week in Edmonton.Laura Rister, Edward Zwick, Dan Cohen and Mickey Barold are producers. Kilburn Media is financing with its Alberta-based partner, Edmonton Economic Development Corp, with Kilburn’s Mark Manuel and Ted O’Neal overseeing production for the financiers. WME and Untitled Entertainment are co-repping domestic rights. Canada’s eOne will distribute in that country and reps the film for international sales. “Roberto has written a uniquely thrilling, darkly comic and incredibly soulful script that has attracted a first-class cast and crew”, Rister said. “We’re honored to be part of the talented team that will bring this timeless story to life.”