EXCLUSIVE: Avengers and Materialists star Chris Evans is joining the crime-thriller My Darling California, the next project for writer-director Elijah Bynum (Magazine Dreams).

As we told you last fall, the movie will star Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Chris Pine (Star Trek franchise), Mikey Madison (Anora), Charles Melton (May December) and Don Cheadle (Ocean’s franchise).

Evans takes over from previously announced Josh Brolin in the movie, with the latter dropping out due to scheduling.

Set in Los Angeles 1980, the film will chart how a single crime weaves together the lives of a TV host, his restless wife, a country music idol, two small-time crooks and an ex-con, all of whom are chasing the promise of a better life. Filming is being lined up for late summer/September.

Anton is fully financing the film and will continue international sales on the project at the upcoming Cannes market. Anton and CAA Media Finance co-represent U.S. and global rights.

Producing are David Hinojosa (Materialists), Alex Coco (Anora) and Sébastien Reybaud (Greenland). Zach Nutman will be executive producing.

Evans is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Jason Sloane; Bynum is represented by CAA, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment and Myman Greenspan Fox; Chastain by CAA, Mosaic and Hansen Jacobson; Pine by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Gendler, Kelly & Cunningham; Madison by UTA, Authentic Talent and Literary and Sloane Offer Weber & Dern; Cheadle by UTA; and Melton by 111 Media, CAA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.