Toby Kebbell in Talks to Join ‘A Monster Calls’ (Exclusive)

Toby Kebbell, coming off his appearance in this summer’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, is in negotiations to join A Monster Calls, Juan Antonio Bayona’s adaptation of the children’s fantasy novel by Patrick Ness.

The cast already includes Felicity Jones, Liam Neeson and Sigourney Weaver.

Focus Features, River Road Entertainment, Participant Media and Lionsgate International are behind the movie, with Focus holding domestic rights to the movie and setting an Oct. 14, 2016 release.

A Monster Calls is about a young boy who attempts to deal with bullying at the hands of his classmates, and his mother’s terminal illness, by escaping into a fantastical world through the guidance of a tree monster.

If a deal makes, Kebbel will play the boy’s father, a man with a history of not being there for his son. Jones is on board as the mother, while Neeson is playing the titular monster. Weaver is playing the boy’s no-nonsense grandmother.

Lionsgate‘ international sales team is handling the movie overseas and will continue to shop the project to foreign buyers at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.

Kebbell recently wrapped shooting Fox’s reboot of Fantastic Four in which he plays the villain, Doctor Doom. He is repped by CAA.