Meester & Strong Will Go Before "The Judge"

Leighton Meester and Jeremy Strong have joined the dramedy "The Judge" says Variety.

The initial script by Nick Schenk that Bill Dubuque rewrote sees Robert Downey Jr star as a big-city lawyer who returns home after the death of his mother to learn that his estranged father (Robert Duvall), a judge, is suspected of murder. He sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before.

Bates Motel star Vera Farmiga will play a waitress in the hometown, portraying a woman who never left the small-town life and who has a history with Downey’s character. Vincent D'Onofrio will play RDJ's elder brother. Dax Shepard and Billy Bob Thornton co-star

Strong will play the younger brother of RDJ's character. Meester will play the daughter of Farmiga's character.

David Dobkin directs the film.

Downey Jr. is producing with wife Susan Downey, Dobkin, David Gambino, and Jeff Kleeman.

Production is hoped to start in Boston at the beginning of June.

Warner Bros. wanted Jack Nicholson for for the dad role but the picky actor ultimately passed.