Berlin: Will Poulter Joining Dakota Fanning in Charlize Theron-Produced Drama

Emerging British talent Will Poulter (The Maze Runner, We’re The Millers) is set to co-star with Dakota Fanning in Brain of Fire, being launched at the EFM by U.K.-based Mister Smith.

As previously announced, Irish director Gerard Barrett (Glassland) will direct from his own screenplay, based on the New York Times bestselling memoir by Susannah Cahalan chronicling her sudden descent into insanity following a mystery illness.

Read more ‘Nobody Wants the Night’ Director Isabel Coixet on the Lack of Female Directors

Fanning will play Cahalan while Poulter, who will shortly appear opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman-follow up The Revenant, will star as her boyfriend.

Brain on Fire is being produced by Charlize Theron, Beth Kono and A.J. Dix for their Denver and Delilah shingle and Rob Merilees for Foundation Features.

Read more Scarlett Johansson’s Directorial Debut Selling at EFM

Last year Poulter won the BAFTA rising star award. Jack O’Connell and Shailene Woodley are among the names in the running for the award at the BAFTAs ceremony on Sunday.