As first reported by Screen Daily and updated by Deadline, Paramount has acquired U.S. rights to George Clooney’s Suburbicon which was pitched at the EFM (European Film Market). Clooney will direct.

Joel and Ethan Coen are penning the 1950’s-set dark comedy of an ordinary family in a quiet town in suburbia who become the victims of a deadly home invasion, leading them to do whatever it takes to survive and revealing the best and worst of humanity. The plot includes blackmail, revenge, and betrayal and is thought to be along the lines of their earlier work, Blood Simple. Matt Damon (Oscar-nominated for The Martian), Julianne Moore (who took home the Oscar last year for Still Alice), and Josh Brolin (Sicario) are attached to star.

Brad Grey, Paramount Pictures Chairman and CEO, said: “George has assembled a stellar project, starting with Joel and Ethan’s great script, a wildly talented cast lead by Matt and Julianne, and an extraordinary producing team with George, Grant, Joel and Teddy. We are both proud and excited to be releasing Suburbicon in the U.S. and look forward to this picture with great anticipation.”

Clooney and the Coens have collaborated on several films over the past decade including on O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After Reading, and most recently, Hail, Caesar!

Clooney made his directorial debut in 2002 with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and followed that up with Good Night, and Good Luck which he also co-wrote. Since then, he has directed Leatherheads, The Ides of March, and Monuments Men. Clooney has been nominated 6 times for an Oscar, and won Best Supporting Actor for Syriana in 2006 and took home the Oscar for Argo, which won Best Motion Picture of 2012.

Black Bear Pictures is financing Suburbicon. Joel Silver will produce via his Silver Pictures alongside Clooney and his Smokehouse Pictures partner Grant Heslov, and Teddy Schwarzman of Black Bear.

Shooting on Suburbicon is expected to begin in October.