Dog Dave's Of Summer

Virginia Madsen and Kenan Thompson are in negotiations to join director Rob Reiner's drama "Summer at Dog Dave's" aka "The Third Act," says Variety.

The story follows a wheelchair-bound author of Western novels (Morgan Freeman) whose alcoholism is destroying his drive. The friendship of the recently arrived family next door helps him rediscover his passion for writing.

Madsen will play the matriarch of the family, a single mother going through a divorce who has three daughters. Thompson will play Freeman's helpful nephew.

Madsen takes a role that Annette Bening had been linked to but was never officially signed.

Reiner, Guy Thomas and Andrew Scheinman wrote the script.

Production is set to begin in New York this July with the film aiming for a 2012 release.