Depardieu flashes badge for French thriller

By Stuart Kemp

SANTA MONICA (Hollywood Reporter) - Gerard Depardieu has joined the cast of "Kalach," a French-language movie about a gangland boss who gets out of prison and needs to raise cash.

Depardieu will play a cop in the film, which is in preproduction. He joins Gerard Lanvin, who will play the title character; Francois Berleand, who will play a gay nightclub owner; and Mathilde Seigner, the gangster's love interest.

Yves Renier will direct from a script he is working on with Franck Henry, a former gangster who spent more than 10 years in jail. Henry has been tasked with infusing the story with true-to-life gangster gems.

"Kalach" is scheduled to shoot in France and Thailand, with delivery penciled in for the end of 2008.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter