Benaroya Pictures and The Genre Company announced today they have set Samuel L. Jackson to co-star with John Cusack in the apocalyptic thriller Cell, based on the bestselling novel by Stephen King.

Tod “Kip” Williams will direct, with production set to begin in January.

In Cell, Jackson will play Tom McCourt, an engineer and former soldier who escapes from Boston along with Cusack’s character, Clay Riddell, after a mysterious pulse, transmitted by Cell phones, spreads like a virus through the human population.

Samuel L. Jackson most recently co-starred in last year’s Django Unchained and next appears in the upcoming films Oldboy and Robocop as well as Captain America 2: Winter Soldier and The Avengers sequel.

Producing the project are Richard Saperstein (Se7en, Hancock), Michael Benaroya (Lawless, Margin Call), Brian Witten (Chernobyl Diaries, Friday the 13th, Final Destination) and Shara Kay (Silent Night). While President of Dimension Films, Saperstein oversaw the Stephen King adaptations, The Mist, directed by Frank Darabont, and 1408, which also starred Cusack and Jackson, and grossed over $130 million worldwide.

The screenplay for Cell was written by Stephen King and Adam Alleca (Last House on the Left). Edward Mokhtarian, Armen Aghaeian, Xavier Gens, and Laurence Freed will executive produce. Mark Leyner and Ben Insler will co-produce.