Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev of Calgary’s Nomadic Pictures are among the producers on a new Tubi original film, starring and produced by Peter Dinklage.

The Thicket, based on the Joe R. Lansdale novel of the same name, is directed by British filmmaker Elliott Lester and adapted to the screen by Christopher Kelly. Principal photography is now underway in Calgary.

The thriller is a “passion project” for Dinklage (pictured), according to a news release, who produces alongside David Ginsberg under their shared Santa Monica, Calif.-based banner Estuary Films. Also producing alongside Oakes and Frislev are Gianni Nunnari of Burbank, Calif.-based Hollywood Gang and Andre L III of Santa Monica’s MiLu Entertainment.

L.A.-based sales company and financier The Exchange holds international distribution rights, with CEO Brian O’Shea and VP, acquisitions and production Caddy Vanasirikul also serving as producers. Ad-supported streamer Tubi holds the film rights in the U.S. and Canada.

The Thicket is described as a dark western thriller, and follows a young man who enlists the help of a bounty hunter (Dinklage) to save his sister from a violent killer, portrayed by Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets).

The cast also includes Esmé Creed-Miles (Hanna), Levon Hawke (The Crowded Room), Leslie Grace (In The Heights), Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Old Man), Macon Blair (I Care a Lot), Metallica lead vocalist James Hetfield, Ned Dennehy (Peaky Blinders), Andrew Schulz (Infamous), and Arliss Howard (Mank).

“As Tubi deepens its commitment to a wide range of genres, we are incredibly excited to begin production on The Thicket, which has been a passion project for so many involved,” said Adam Lewinson, chief content officer, Tubi, in a statement.

Tubi’s other Canadian ventures include a partnership with Montreal-based prodco Incendo on the horror Terror Train and its upcoming sequel, with plans for two other horror films — Marry F*** Kill and The Amityville Curse.

Dinklage is repped by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein; Lewis is repped by Untitled Entertainment and United Talent Agency; Creed-Miles is repped by Omni Artists, WME, Conway van Gelder Grant, Sloane Offer Weber & Dern LLP; and Hawke is repped by CAA.

Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images