Sarah Michelle Gellar

April 21, 2005 - Donnie Darko filmmaker Richard Kelly’s Darko Entertainment and Cherry Road Films announced today that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Seann William Scott will join Sarah Michelle Gellar in Kelly’s forthcoming sci-fi thriller Southland Tales.

The film is described as "an ensemble piece set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles." The story begins on July 4, 2008, and L.A. is on the brink of total social, economic and environmental disaster.

The Rock plays a guy named Boxer Santaros, an action star with amnesia who crosses paths with Krysta Now (played by Gellar), a porn star developing her own reality show, and David Clark (Scott), a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.

"Dwayne, Seann and Sarah each have an adventurous spirit and I am honored that they have put their faith in me," said Kelly. "The film is going to be a strange hybrid of the sensibilities of Andy Warhol and Philip K. Dick."

Behind the scenes... The music for the film will be composed and created by prolific electronica artist and producer Moby. And most of Kelly’s crew from Darko is joining the production, including DP Steven Poster, production designer Alexander Hammond, costume designer April Ferry and editor Sam Bauer.

Kelly is also creating an "expanded universe" for the film which will be explored in a nine-part interactive experience. Six 100-page graphic novels will comprise a prequel saga and the film’s website is expected to be one of the largest and most elaborate ever designed for a feature film. "The graphic novels will work in tandem with the website, creating a more epic multimedia experience for those interested in taking the plunge," added Kelly.

Southland Tales is set to start filming on August 1 in Los Angeles.