Catherine Hardwicke, best known for directing the first Twilight movie, is set to direct American River, a western with an all-female-led cast, for Bronte Studios. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film’s plot will follow “four women from vastly different backgrounds as they are thrown together by circumstance and forced to navigate a world where fortunes are being made, laws are being rewritten, and survival often belongs to those prepared to take matters into their own hands.” The film’s plot is also said to involve a “dangerous journey” through an “all-male world, ” which would involve a battle for survival to reclaim their land.

To coincide with the announcement of the film, Hardwicke provided the following statement:

“As a Texan, I love the scale and mythology of the Western, but what excited me about American River is the chance to approach that world from a completely different perspective. These four women have very different reasons for being on this journey. They aren’t setting out to become heroes; they are trying to survive and take control of their own futures. Against the extraordinary landscape and danger of the Gold Rush, that allows us to make something emotional, physical, and genuinely cinematic.”

The film’s script is written by Eric Esau. Production is set to begin in the second quarter of 2027. Casting is underway, led by veteran casting directors Lisa Beach and Sarah Katzman, known for comedies like Wedding Crashers and Horrible Bosses, and multiple films by director James Mangold, including Walk the Line, 310 to Yuma, and Logan. The casting director and director will cast the film’s all-female ensemble.