Chad Michael Murray ("One Tree Hill") is in negotiations to join Nicolas Cage in Left Behind, reports Deadline. He would be playing the role of journalist Cameron “Buck” Williams in the thriller.

Cage is playing Rayford in the remake of the Christian-themed movie franchise. The project comes from Stoney Lake Entertainment, the new production company led by Paul Lalonde of Cloud Ten Pictures.

The franchise is based on the series of books written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins that have sold more than 65 million copies worldwide. Kirk Cameron starred in the original trilogy of which the first film hit theaters in 2001.

The new movie is budgeted at around $15 million. Filming is expected to start in early spring for a fourth quarter 2013 release by Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Left Behind will follow a group of survivors during the first few hours after the Rapture.

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