Fox Searchlight’s True Story has found its release date.  The crime drama, the first feature from director Rupert Goold, which premiered at January’s Sundance Film Festival, is now slated for an April 17 limited release.

The film, starring James Franco (The Interview) and Jonah Hill (22 Jump Street), is based on the real-life story of disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Hill) whose identity is assumed by accused murderer Christian Longo.  Finkel, having been dismissed by the Times for creating composite characters in a major story, connects with Longo when the fugitive is imprisoned for the murder of his wife and children and Longo refuses to speak with anyone but the former reporter.  Longo is interested in getting his story out there, and Finkel is looking for redemption after the Times scandal, so the two form an unlikely, and uncomfortable, alliance.

Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Ethan Suplee (American History X), and Gretchen Mol (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) co-star in the film, based on Finkel’s memoir True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa. Goold directs from a script he wrote with David Kajganich.