According to Variety, John Krasinski (Aloha) is being tapped to play an astronaut in a J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production of God Particle. David Oyelowo (Selma) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Concussion) are already on board the sci-fi thriller.
The story is set in the near future and centers on an American space station crew abandoned after a particle accelerator accident leads to terrifying consequences.
Julius Onah (The Girls is in Trouble) will helm. Best known as a short film director, this will be his second feature film. The project was originally set up at Paramount InSurge, a division created in 2010 for micro-budget films. The division was shuttered and transferred as a label within Paramount last year.
Krasinski is known for his comedic character on NBC’s The Office. He appeared in Aloha last year opposite thrice-in-a-row Oscar nominated actor Bradley Cooper (American Sniper) and Oscar-nominated actress Emma Stone (Irrational Man). He starred earlier this year in Michael Bay’s 13 Hours:The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. He helmed and co-starred with Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) and Mary Elizabeth Wistead (10 Cloverfield Lane) in the Sundance Film Festival picture The Hollars, which will bow on August 12.
God Particle is currently in pre-production and will open in theaters on February 24, 2017.