Emile Hirsch joins Craig Roberts’ directorial debut Just Jim

US actor Emile Hirsch has been cast alongside Craig Roberts in Just Jim, which goes into production in Wales this week.

The feature marks the directorial debut of Roberts, the 23 year-old star of Submarine and The Double who has recently been seen in US comedies including Neighbors and 22 Jump Street.

Roberts plays the title role opposite Hirsch, best known for his roles in Lone Survivor, Into the Wild and Prince Avalanche.

The story centres on Jim, a teenage loser who life is turned around by the appearance of an enigmatic, handsome neighbour.

Co-stars include Aneirin Hughes, Nia Roberts, Richard Harrington, Matthew Aubrey and newcomers Ryan Owen and Charlotte Randall.

Producers are Adrian Bate and Pip Broughton of Vox Pictures and the film will shoot on location in Caerphilly, Wales, over three weeks.

Just Jim was selected as one of three finalists of Ffilm Cymru Wales’ emerging talent scheme, Cinematic

Soda Pictures will release in the UK and Ireland in 2015.

Roberts’ directing career began with Avocado Baby, a music video for the band Los Campesinos.

Embarking on his first feature, Roberts said: “It’s surreal to be back in my home town shooting a movie. I’m excited to work with a great cast and I hope Emile likes Maesycwmmer.”

Hirsch recently wrapped an adaptation of Eleanor Henderson’s novel Ten Thousand Saints alongside Ethan Hawke, Emily Mortimer and Julianne Nicholson.

Roberts, a former Screen International Star of Tomorrow, recently finished work on Kill Your Friends, the feature adaptation of John Niven’s cult novel of the same name, directed by Owen Harris, alongside Nicholas Hoult.