EXCLUSIVE: Nicolas Cage has been set to star in Prisoners of the Ghostland, a post-apocalyptic action thriller that will mark the English-language debut of Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono. Untitled Entertainment’s Laura Rister, Eleven Arts’ Ko Mori, Reza Sixo Safai of Black Light District Entertainment and XYZ Films’ Nate Bolotin are producing.

XYZ Films is also repping worldwide rights on the new title this week at the Cannes Film Festival. XYZ and Cage previously teamed on Mandy, which is playing in the fest’s Directors’ Fortnight section after bowing at Sundance. That pic is getting a summer theatrical release via RLJE Films.

Ghostland, penned by Aaron Hendry and Safai, centers on notorious criminal Hero (Cage) who is sent to rescue an abducted girl who has disappeared into a dark supernatural universe. They must break the evil curse that binds them and escape the mysterious revenants that rule the Ghostland, an East-meets-West vortex of beauty and violence.

Sono’s film credits include winning the People’s Choice Award at the 2013 Toronto fest with Midnight Madness (Jigoku de naze warui); and genre hits Tag (Riaru onigokko) and Love Exposure (Ai no mukidashi).

Cage is repped by WME, Stride Management and Bloom Hergott.