Kristen to Star in Thriller 'Cali'

Variety 'Snow White' actress set for Voltage action pic.

"Snow White and the Huntsman" star Kristen Stewart is set to topline "Cali," a gritty action pic set in Los Angeles that will be produced by Voltage Productions and New School Media.

Michael Diliberti ("30 Minutes or Less") wrote the script, which follows Mya (Stewart) and Chris, a pair of San Fernando Valley lovebirds with a penchant for bad choices and dangerous behavior. After selling a fake snuff film featuring Mya, they ride off into the sunset with a bundle of cash. Years later, Mya must "return from the dead" to save the younger sister she left behind in Cali, where the young couple contends with angry former business partners, homicidal porn stars, stoner vet techs, an unstoppable killing machine in a cowboy hat and their own contentious relationship.

 Craig J. Flores ("300") and Zev Foreman ("Killer Joe") will produce for Voltage, while Diliberti will also produce. His manager, Brian Levy of New School Media, will exec produce with Voltage topper Nicolas Chartier ("The Hurt Locker") and Stewart, who will pick up her first producing credit on the project.

Diliberti developed the script on spec before it was acquired by Voltage, which attached Stewart. Producers are currently out to directors and they're anticipating a late summer start date.

"Kristen is a talented and dynamic actor, with a proven box office draw," said Flores. "Her role in 'Cali' will be edgy and sexy. It will no doubt push the envelope on the public's view of Kristen's wide-ranging abilities. Voltage is thrilled to have her as a partner on this fantastic film."

 "Cali" marks a return to indie fare for Stewart, who has balanced the "Twilight" franchise pics like "Welcome to the Rileys," "The Runaways" and Walter Salles' upcoming adaptation of "On the Road." Thesp next stars in Universal's "Snow White and the Huntsman" and the final installment in "The Twilight Saga," which Summit will release on Nov. 16.

Diliberti is coming off the seven-figure spec sale to GK Films of comedy "Little White Corvette," which has Emma Stone attached to star. Scribe is also writing a Fox 2000 project for "Crazy, Stupid, Love" helmers John Requa and Glenn Ficarra that Simon Kinberg is producing, a Sony pic for Seth Gordon that Matt Tolmach is producing and a Warner Bros. movie for Todd Phillips with his Green Hat Films banner producing.

Voltage, which produced Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar winner "The Hurt Locker," is currently in pre-production on Shia LaBeouf-starrer "The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman" and post-production on Robert Redford's political action-thriller "The Company You Keep," which also stars LaBeouf. Stewart is repped by Gersh and McKuin, Frankel and Whitehead, while WME and New School Media reps Diliberti.

Via Robstenation