Broadway’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory star Rueby Wood is headed to the film side of production, and he joins actors Aria Brooks (Harriet), Joshua Bassett (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) and Lisa Kudrow (Friends) in the musical comedy adaptation of Tim Federle’s award-winning novel, Better Nate Than Ever.

Federle’s family film follows Nate Foster (Wood), a 13-year-old Pittsburgher who, along with fellow theater kid Libby (Brooks), sneaks off to a major musical audition in New York City after not getting cast in their school musical.

After a nationwide search, the title role of Nate Foster was given to real-life theater kid Wood. Bassett will play the role of Anthony, the older brother to Nate. Kudrow will play Nate and Anthony’s long-lost aunt Heidi.

“From the moment Rueby Wood auditioned with a song from Wicked, I knew he had the true theater-kid spirit to bring Nate’s story to vivid, living color. Aria Brooks is a star on the rise whose comedic chemistry with Rueby was undeniable from day one,” said writer and director Federle, via Deadline. “Nate is a story about dreaming big, and it was a dream to have these newcomers joined by Joshua Bassett as Nate’s older brother Anthony, alongside the incredible Lisa Kudrow as their aunt Heidi.”

It was announced on Disney+ Day that Better Nate Than Ever will hit the streaming service in Spring 2022