'Basterds' actor joins 'Charlie Countryman'

'Basterds' actor joins 'Charlie Countryman'

Til Schweiger added to Shia LaBeouf pic

"Inglourious Basterds" thesp Til Schweiger is set to join Shia LaBeouf in "The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman," which acclaimed commercials helmer Fredrik Bond is directing from a Black List script by Matt Drake.

The gritty pulp romance from Voltage Prods. and Bona Fide Prods. will find LaBeouf playing the title character, a normal guy who falls for a woman (Evan Rachel Wood) who has been claimed by a violent crime boss (Mads Mikkelsen).

Schweiger will play Darko, a Serbian gangster and former paramilitary fighter who relocated to Budapest to run a strip club and avoid a war crimes tribunal.

Melissa Leo has been cast LaBeouf's late mother, whose spirit continues to visit and advise Charlie. Producers are also eyeing "The Inbetweeners" thesp James Buckley for a supporting role.

Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa will produce through their Bona Fide banner along with Bill Horberg, while Craig J. Flores will produce for Voltage, whose Nicolas Chartier will exec produce. Production is skedded to start next month in Eastern Europe.

Schweiger, who recently appeared in "The Three Musketeers," "New Year's Eve" and "This Means War," is repped by Anonymous Content.

Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com