Claes Bang (“The Square”) has joined “The Burnt Orange Heresy,” the neo-noir thriller from Giuseppe Capotondi (“Suburra”).

The Danish actor joins Christopher Walken (“Catch Me if You Can”) and Elizabeth Debicki (“The Night Manager”) in the picture, which HanWay Films will introduce to buyers in Cannes. HanWay has international rights with UTA Independent Film Group managing the U.S. sale.

Based on the Charles Willeford novel, Bang plays James Figueras, a charismatic and fiercely ambitious art critic who is offered a career-changing introduction to reclusive artist Jerome Debney (Walken). In return for the introduction, however, he must steal a masterpiece from the artist’s studio. Set in Italy in the early 1970s, Debicki plays Berenice Hollis, Figueras’ lover.

As Hollis and Figueras start to spend time with the legendary Debney, they start to realise that nothing about the artist and their mission is what it seems. The film is in pre-production ahead of shooting in Italy in the summer.

“It is a luxury to get the perfect casting for a film, and even more thrilling to see a sexy pairing come together, like Elizabeth Debicki and Claes Bang,” said HanWay Films managing director Gabrielle Stewart. “They are two of the most desirable international rising stars and pitch perfect leads for Capotondi’s Italian set thriller.”

Academy Award nominated Scott B. Smith (“A Simple Plan”) wrote the screenplay for the dark thriller. David Zander of MJZ (“Spring Breakers”) produces with BAFTA-nominated William Horberg (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”) through his Wonderful Films, and Academy Award-nominated David Lancaster (“Whiplash”) of Rumble Films. Aeysha Walsh and Stephanie Wilcox, from MJZ and Rumble Films are executive producers.