Shepard Brings Them Together In "August"

Sam Shepard (Days of Heaven, The Right Stuff) has joined the film adaptation of Tracy Letts' award-winning play "August: Osage County" says Variety.

First performed in '07 the show revolves around a family's buried pains and present conflicts after its patriarch (Shepard) dies. Meryl Streep would play the drug-addicted matriarch, while Julia Roberts would play the eldest daughter who is estranged from her adulterous husband.

Juliette Lewis is in talks to play Karen, the self-deluding youngest daughter. Chris Cooper plays Streep's brother in law. Abigail Breslin will play Roberts’ angry and acerbic pot smoking daughter Margo Martindale plays Mattie Fae Aiken, the sister of Streep's character.Dermot Mulroney will play Steve, the not-quite-who-he-seems businessman fiancé of Karen. Benedict Cumberbatch will play the sensitive son of Mattie Fay.

John Wells will direct the film from a screenplay adapted by Letts.

Harvey Weinstein George Clooney Grant Heslov Jean Doumanian and Steve Traxler will produce the pic.