Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern set to star in Florian Zeller's next movie 'The Son'

Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern are all set to star in the upcoming movie 'The Son', which will be writer-director Florian Zeller's follow-up to the BAFTA-winning and Academy award-nominated 'The Father'.

According to Variety, the film will be adapted from Zeller's acclaimed stage play by Zeller and Christopher Hampton, who is Oscar-nominated for adapting 'The Father' with Zeller, and has won an Oscar for 'Dangerous Liaisons'.

Oscar-winners Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, and Joanna Laurie of See-Saw Films, will produce the movie with Christophe Spadone alongside Zeller. Film4 will be co-financing the production.

In 'The Son', Peter (Jackman) has a busy life with his new partner Emma and their baby. This is thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate (Dern) turns up with their teenage son, Nicholas. Something is amiss from the first moment that audiences meet Nicholas. He is troubled, distant, and angry, playing truant from school for months - both son and mother need his father's help. Nicholas's wish is to live with his father for a change.

Peter strives to be a better father, searching to help his son with those intimate and instinctive moments of family happiness, to solve, with understanding, what Nicholas is going through. But the weight of Nicholas' condition sets the family on a dangerous course. They must do everything they can to maintain the bonds that hold them together.

Zeller said, "'The Son' is a deeply human story which, I believe, connects us all; I hope audiences will be profoundly moved by this family's journey. Both Hugh and Laura naturally convey great warmth, compassion, and vulnerability... inviting our audience to embrace and feel every moment."

He added, "The story is set in a vibrant and very much alive New York, an important character. The movie should make us call family and friends to tell them that they are wholly loved and not alone."

Zeller has been enjoying acclaim for his debut movie 'The Father' released in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics on February 26. The film won two BAFTAs and is nominated for six Academy awards for best picture, adapted screenplay, editing, production design, leading actor and supporting actress.

As per variety, executive producers for the film are Jackman, Simon Gillis for See-Saw Films, Del Battsek, Lauren Dark and Ollie Madden for Film4, Philippe Carcassonne for Cine-@, and Haslam and Hugo Grumbar for Embankment.

( With inputs from ANI )