Kurt Russell to star in football film 'Touchback'

Kurt Russell is drawing up a game plan to play a football coach in Freedom Films' "Touchback," which Don Handfield is writing and directing.

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The cast also includes Brian Presley as a small-town farmer who flashes back to his high-school glory days; Melanie Lynskey, who will play the wife of Presley's character; and Christine Lahti, who will play his mother.

Marc Blucas, Drew Powell, Sarah Wright, Sianoa Smit-McPhee and Kevin Covais are also aboard.

Filming begins this week in Grand Rapids, Mich. Producers are Lisa Kearns of Freedom Films, Presley, Kevin Matusow, Carissa Buffel-Matusow and George Furla.

Sports Studio's Mark Ellis, who has worked on such films as "We Are Marshall" and "The Rookie," is serving as the project's football coordinator.

"Touchback" is the first film to go into production under a three-picture deal between Freedom and financier Palo Verde, a hedge fund founded in 2008 by Paul Ross and Tony Stacy.

Russell is repped by CAA, Presley by Kritzer Levine Wilkins Griffin Entertainment and Lahti by ICM.