Stranger Things breakout Dacre Montgomery (currently in Gus Van Sant’s festival bowing Dead Man’s Wire) is set to lead the cast of upcoming psychological thriller Moral Capacity alongside Oscar nominee Diane Lane, Oscar winner Tim Robbins and Kingsman: The Secret Service star Sofia Boutella.

Directing the film — being launch in TIFF by Highland Film Group — is Brad Anderson (The Call, The Machinist), working from a script by novelist Peter Moore Smith (Raveling, Los Angeles).

Moral Capacity follows James Fisher (Montgomery), a man who has everything to lose — family, reputation, and the perfect life he’s built — until his affair with his business partner Andrea (Boutella) is discovered by her husband Cliff (Robbins). According to the synopsis, James finds himself caught in a deadly ultimatum: commit murder or watch his world fall apart. As Cliff pulls the strings in this destructive game of blackmail and manipulation, James turns to his therapist, Dr. Torre (Lane), unaware that she harbors even deeper secrets.

Producers on Moral Capacity include Mark Amin (Dead Man’s Wire, The Apprentice) and Cami Winikoff (Dead Man’s Wire, Bleeding Love) for Sobini Films, and Jamee Natella (The Last Firefighter, Chilly Christmas) for Blueyed Pictures. The film is executive produced by Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group alongside Dave Devries for Sobini Films. Orly Sitowitz serves as the film’s casting director.

“Peter’s fantastic script ticks all the boxes for me,” said Anderson. “The way it combines a character driven study with a paranoid thriller reminds me of what excited me about my films The Machinist, Session 9 and Fractured. And with this awesome cast — especially Tim Robbins, whose Jacob’s Ladder inspired my early love of this genre — I know we’re going to be able to deliver a top-notch commercial film.”

Highland Film Group is representing international rights to Moral Capacity and launching sales in Toronto. CAA Media Finance is handling domestic rights. Production is set to begin in the U.K. in early 2026.

“Brad Anderson delivers a gutsy and unique perspective to his filmmaking and is the ideal director to bring this taught and tense psychological thriller to life,” said Highland Film Group CEO Fraser.

“We have a fantastic ensemble cast led by the talented Diane Lane, Sofia Boutella, Tim Robbins and Dacre Montgomery, who can next be seen in Gus Van Sant’s highly anticipated Dead Man’s Wire. This film has universal appeal, and we can’t wait to start shooting,” added COO Perrier.

Said producer Amin: “This is a rare project that is smart and artistic and commercial at the same time. With this director and cast, this film has huge potential. This is exactly what today’s tough market needs.”

Highland Film Group’s current slate also Justin Chadwick’s action spy-thriller The Mark starring Jessica Alba; the espionage action thriller Stratagem starring Noomi Rapace and Teo Yoo; the thriller Just Play Dead starring Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green; the comedy horror Lice starring Justin Long, Emile Hirsch and Kevin Connolly; and the action crime thriller The Deputy starring Duke Nicholson, William H. Macy, Tiffany Haddish and Stephen Dorff.

By Alex Ritman, Variety