Stellan Skarsgard, Hiroyuki Sanada Join Hollywood Stars in 'The Railway Man'

LONDON – Stellan Skarsgard and Hiroyuki Sanada have signed to join the cast of Jonathan Teplitzky’s The Railway Man, which already boasts Oscar winners Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman.

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Jeremy Irvine also stars in the big screen adaptation of Eric Lomax’s best-selling book detailing the epic true story of a war hero and the woman who matched his courage to reclaim the man she loved.

Frank Cottrell Boyce and producer Andy Paterson adapted Lomax’s book and shooting is scheduled to begin April 30 in Scotland before moving to Thailand and then Queensland, Australia.

The producers are Paterson (Girl With A Pearl Earring), Chris Brown (The Proposition) and Bill Curbishley (Quadrophenia). Executive producers are Claudia Blümhuber and Ian Hutchinson from Silver Reel, Zygi Kamasa for Lionsgate UK, Anand Tucker and Daria Jovicic.

The project is set up as an Australia/U.K. co-production between Pictures in Paradise and Archer Street, backed by Screen Australia in association with Silver Reel, Screen Queensland, Creative Scotland and Lionsgate UK.

Lionsgate UK will release the film in the U.K. and Transmission will handle Australia and New Zealand.

Lionsgate International is handling international sales on the film.

The movie has been pre-sold to territories including France (Metropolitan), Benelux (E One), Russia (West), Greece (Spentzos), Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Latin America (Gussi), Scandinavia (Mislabel), and Poland (Forum).

Lionsgate UK and CAA are handling U.S. rights for the film.

Skarsgard’s films include Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Mamma Mia!, Pirates of the Caribbean, and several films with Lars von Trier, such as Melancholia and Dogville.

One of Japan’s biggest stars, Sanada will next be seen starring opposite Keanu Reeves in Universal Pictures’ $200 million epic 47 Ronin.

Steven Spielberg’s War Horse marked Irvine’s first leading role, and he recently completed the leading role of Pip in Mike Newell’s Great Expectations. He will next be seen opposite Dakota Fanning in Ol Parker’s Now is Good.