Steven Van Zandt And Julia Fox Board Dark Comedy The Trainer From American History X Director Tony Kaye

Sometimes movies take a little while to come together. Deadline reports that after nearly a decade of development, the dark comedy "The Trainer" is finally on its way towards the silver screen, directed by "American History X" helmer Tony Kaye. The film will star Vito Schnabel ("Before Night Falls"), Julia Fox ("Uncut Gems"), and Steven Van Zandt ("The Sopranos"). The script for "The Trainer" was co-written by Schnabel and Jeff Solomon ("Blindspot"), based on a story by Schnabel, so it's clearly a bit of a passion project close to the lead's heart. 

The film takes place over the course of eight days of "sleep-deprived chaos" following an unlucky fitness trainer named Jack (Schnabel). Tired of living with his mother in Los Angeles, he tries to make one last serious go at fame and fortune. "The Trainer" will begin production in early April in Los Angeles.

Schnabel is best known for his work as an art collector and gallery founder, though he has appeared in films like "Miral" (directed by his father, famed painter Julian Schnabel) and "Before Night Falls." He also served as an executive producer on Harmony Korine's "The Beach Bum." Schnabel, Kaye, and Jeremy Steckler ("Only the Brave") will produce, with George Paaswell ("The Night House") executive producing.  

Schnabel shared his excitement about the project and working with Tony Kaye, telling Deadline: 

"The idea of the film came into my head about ten years ago and it's incredible to have it come together with Tony Kaye, whom I've spent many months working on this project with as our director and cinematographer. I see him as one of the most talented artists in sound manufacturing and motion pictures and it's an honor to be able to work with him."

Kaye is no stranger to intense stories, as he's best known for directing the 1998 film "American History X," which starred Edward Norton as a terrifying white supremacist. Fox is similarly in familiar territory, because "The Trainer" sounds like it has a lot of the same energy as her breakout film, "Uncut Gems." Van Zandt is known for playing Tony Soprano's consigliere Silvio on "The Sopranos," and, of course, playing guitar and mandolin in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. 

"The Trainer" sounds like it will be a character-driven, high-stakes thriller, though it will be interesting to see if Schnabel can lead a movie with very little acting experience. This kind of thing has been done before and worked (remember Sharlto Copley's breakout role in "District 9"?) but he definitely has his work cut out for him.