Bella Heathcote, Penelope Mitchell and Lucas Take THE CURSE OF DOWNERS GROVE

Trio to lead the indie thriller.

Australian actresses Bella Heathcote (‘Not Fade Away,’ ‘Dark Shadows’) and Penelope Mitchell (‘Hemlock Grove,’ ‘The Joe Manifesto’) are set to join ‘X-Men: First Class’ star Lucas Til for the Derick Martini-directed indie psychological thriller ‘The Curse of Downers Grove.’

Scripted by Bret Easton Ellis, based on the 2001 novel by Michael Hornberg, the film centres on Chrissie Swanson (Heathcote), a paranoid high school senior who fears she will become the next victim of an apparent curse that takes the life of one student every year at the school.

Jill Hennessy (‘Luck,’ ‘Crossing Jordan’), Kevin Zegers (‘Dawn of the Dead,’ ‘Frozen’) and Aimee Teegarden (‘Prom,’ ‘Scream 4’) are attached for supporting roles. Martini (‘Lymelife’) is set to begin shooting the thriller in spring.

First announced back in 2010, the adaptation had Nelson McCormick (‘Prom Night’) directing and actresses Nikki Reed (‘Twilight’) and Hayden Panettiere (‘Nashville’) on board to star.