Jake Gyllenhaal joins Joaquin Phoenix in “The Sisters Brothers”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Jake Gyllenhaal is joining Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly in “The Sisters Brothers”, Variety said.

Jacques Audiard is directing the indie feature, based on Patrick deWitt’s novel of the same name. Reilly, Michael De Luca, Rosa Attrab and Alison Dickey are producing.

Reilly optioned the rights to the book and will produce through his shingle with De Luca, who recently came on board as producer. The story follows two brothers — Eli and Charlie Sisters — who are hired to kill a prospector who has stolen from their boss. The story takes place in Oregon in 1851.

Canadian-born author deWitt’s novel won the 2012 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for humor writing.

“Sisters Brothers” is Audiard’s follow-up to his Palme d’Or winning “Dheepan,” which premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Production is set to start sometime this summer. The noir Western will be his first film shot completely in English.

Gyllenhaal is coming off a strong year with “Demolition” and “Nocturnal Animals” and has a busy few years ahead of him: His next movie “Life,” co-starring Ryan Reynolds, was featured in Super Bowl ads and debuts March 24. He also stars in the upcoming Boston marathon bombing drama “Stronger,” produced by his own Nine Stories banner for Lionsgate, and will appear in both the Netflix drama “Okja” and Paul Dano-directed movie “Wildlife,” also produced by Nine Stories. Finally, “The Division,” a feature adaptation of Ubisoft’s videogame that co-stars Jessica Chastain, recently announced Stephen Gaghan as its director.

The 36 year-old Gyllenhaal stars on Broadway in “Sunday in the Park With George,” which begins previews Feb. 11.