There has been a casting addition and substitution for the upcoming adaptation of the Iraq war novel, The Yellow Birds. According to Deadline, Jennifer Aniston (She’s Funny That Way) has joined the cast and Jack Huston (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) is replacing Benedict Cumberbatch (Black Mass) as Sergeant Sterling. The cast also includes Tye Sheridan (X-Men: Apocalypse) and Alden Ehrenreich (Blue Jasmine).
The film follows two young soldiers, Bartle (Ehrenreich) and Murph (Sheridan), who enter into the Iraq War under Sterling’s tough command. Bartle also must reconcile with a promise he made to Murph’s mother (Aniston) before the two deployed.
Aniston’s involvement comes with little surprise as she has recently been stepping into more dramatic roles, especially after the acclaim she received for last year’s Cake. Aniston is currently shooting the Garry Marshall ensemble comedy, Mother’s Day and is starring in The Comedian with Robert De Niro. She’s also set to star in the parenting drama Mean Moms.
Huston, who is best known for playing a masked hitman in the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire, recently finished shooting Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and has just completed work as the iconic lead role in the Ben-Hur remake.
Alexandre Moors (Blue Caprice) is directing The Yellow Birds which is set to release next year.