'Moonlight' Breakout Ashton Sanders Joins John Goodman in 'Captive State' (Exclusive)

The Rupert Wyatt-directed film, which is being produced by Participant Media, is slated to star Goodman from a script Wyatt wrote with his wife, Erica Beeney.

Ashton Sanders — one of the breakout stars of Barry Jenkins' Moonlight — has found his next project.

The 21-year-old actor has signed on to join John Goodman in Captive State for filmmaker Rupert Wyatt and Participant Media. Wyatt will direct from a script he co-wrote with his wife, Erica Beeney. David Crockett is producing with Wyatt. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King of Participant Media are executive producing.

Participant Media, which is producing the project, snagged the rights to the film following a heated bidding war. The movie falls under Participant’s output deal with Amblin Partners. Focus Features will handle domestic distribution while eOne takes U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Benelux rights.

Shooting is scheduled to start in early 2017, but it's unclear what part Sanders will play. Plot details are being kept under wraps, though it is known that Captive State is a sci-fi project.

What's not a secret is Sanders' awards season recognition. As part of the ensemble — alongside Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Alex R. Hibbert, Andre Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monae, Jaden Piner and Trevante Rhodes — Sanders and crew picked up the best ensemble prize at the Critics' Choice Awards, Gotham Awards and soon-to-be the Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.

His other credits include Straight Outta Compton and The Retrieval. He is represented by UTA, The Savage Agency, ESI Network and Felker, Toczek, Suddleson and Abramson.