Hayden Panettiere And Nikki Reed Face The Curse Of Downers Grove

Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Nikki Reed (Twilight) have signed on to star in director Nelson McCormick’s (The Stepfather) new film Downers Grove.

The film, based on a script by satirical novelist Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho), from a novel by Michael Hornburg (Bongwater), tells the story of a Chicago high school that’s supposedly cursed: each year, one member of the senior class dies a bizarre death. Panettiere’s character is convinced she’ll be this year’s prey to the curse.

Unveiled Sunday at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, CA, the project is scheduled to begin production sometime this spring in Louisiana and will also star Rebecca De Mornay.

While McCormick’s theatrical resume has been underwhelming, Ellis has proven himself sharp and creative, with a unique voice and style. Downers premise is certainly intriguing, too, and one would suspect it well-suited to Ellis’ talents.

Myriad Pictures is financing. No word on a release date, but Downers is likely to hit theaters in late 2011 or early-to-mid 2012.