Writer and director Courtney Hunt’s follow up to her Oscar nominated Frozen River will now feature Keanu Reeves instead of the previously cast Daniel Craig. Reeves is stepping up following Craig’s departure from the project in April just a few days before production was scheduled to begin. The casting change has led to a delay in production, with filming now scheduled to start next month in New Orleans.

While the reason for Craig’s departure two months ago has not been confirmed, the actor did have a demanding schedule between finishing his run on Broadway’s Betrayal and his upcoming commitment to Bond 24.

Reeves will now star as a southern defense attorney who takes the case of a teenager accused of murdering his wealthy father. He will join existing cast members Renee Zellweger, Gabriel Basso and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

With the pre-production woes out of the way, Hunt will look to build upon the success of Frozen River, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay in 2008. While Hunt wrote and directed Frozen River, she will direct The Whole Truth from a Nicholas Kazan script.

The Whole Truth will be produced by Anthony Bregman and Kevin Frakes for Likely Story and PalmStar Entertainment respectively. The film is scheduled for a 2015 release.