An ensemble cast of Chicago-bred thesps John Cusack, Moira Harris, Laurie Metcalf, Julianne Moore, Gillian Anderson and Kevin O'Connor have signed on for roles in the indie pic "Hellcab," based on Will Kern's play.
Pic begins principal photography Saturday in the Windy City under Mary Cybulski and John Tintori's direction. Paul Dillon, who will re-create the cabby role he originated onstage, will produce along with Suzanne De Walt and co-producer Jamie Gordon.
The film, which was adapted by Kern with help from Dillon, chronicles a day in the life of a cabdriver during the Christmas holiday.
"We liked the idea of making a film that began as a play in Chicago, mixing established Chicago film actors with the incredible as-of-yet undiscovered talent in Chicago and shooting the film here," De Walt said.
Cybulski is a former script supervisor on such pics as "Spanish Prisoner," "The Crucible," "Ice Storm" and "Lone Star." Tintori, her husband, was a film editor on "True Love," "Dog Fight," "Used People" and "Brother From Another Planet."
The pic will be a reunion of Chicago natives. Metcalf and Harris are former members of Steppenwolf Theater. Cusack grew up in Chicago, and Anderson and O'Connor graduated from the city's DePaul Theater School, along with Dillon.
The project is a Greenlight Entertainment presentation of A Child's Will Production in association with New Crime Prods.
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