Dimension Films announced today that Golden Globe-nominated Maria Bello (A History of Violence, The Cooler) has been cast as the lead female in The Untitled 'James Wan Presents' Thriller. James Wan, who co-created the highly successful Saw and Insidious franchises, will produce the film along with Lee Clay (Beautiful Boy). Wan most recently directed The Conjuring, which New Line will release next summer.

Will Canon (Brotherhood) is set to direct the film. Max La Bella penned the script from an original idea of Wan's. Shooting begins January 2013 in Baton Rouge, LA and the film will be released by Dimension Films.

"I loved working with Lee Clay on 'Beautiful Boy' and look forward to working with him again and creating a great thriller with James,” said Bello.

“I’m so thrilled to be shepherding this project,” said Wan. “The talent is really incredible, and in particular, Maria Bello was on the top of our list so we’re excited to have her.”

The film centers on the aftermath of a horrific massacre: five college students, brutally murdered inside a decrepit, abandoned home. Fresh on the scene, detective Mark Lewis and the police department’s psychologist, Dr. Elizabeth Klein (Bello), question one of the few survivors who explains they were amateur ghost-hunters, seeking out paranormal phenomenon at the abandoned house, believed to be haunted. But what started out as a harmless activity turned into something truly terrifying, and the suspect claims the responsibility doesn’t lie with any of the inhabitants, but with the house itself.

(Photo Credit: WENN.com)