Filmmaker John Sayles, now prepping for the September release of his "Casa De Los Babys" for IFC Films, is setting his sights on "Silver City."

Sayles and producer Maggie Renzi are packaging the indie project. They've set Danny Huston for a lead role in the film and are in talks with recent Oscar winner Chris Cooper to join the cast along with Kris Kristofferson and Cheech Marin, sources said. Several other actors are expected to sign on shortly, with lensing to begin in September.

While details of the project are being closely guarded, "Silver City" is described as a political drama/murder mystery telling the story of a small town in Colorado and the events leading up to a local election. Among those events is the discovery of a man's body in a local lake and the mystery surrounding his murder.

Renzi is producing from a script by Sayles. Sayles and Renzi could not be reached for comment.

Huston will segue to the project after he finishes work on Martin Scorsese's "Aviator." He is also due to be seen in "Birth," opposite Nicole Kidman, and "21 Grams," opposite Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro. He's repped by ICM, manager Laina Cohen at Acronym Entertainment and Victoria Belfrage at Julian Belfrage Associates.

Cooper is repped by Paradigm and the Firm. He's currently onscreen in Gary Ross' "Seabiscuit" for Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Spylgass Entertainment.

Kristofferson is repped by IFA Talent Agency and attorney Jess Rosen. He is also due to film a role in David Goyer's "Blade: Trinity" for New Line Cinema.

Marin is repped by Power Entertainment and attorney Stan Coleman.

Sayles is repped by Paradigm.