Fresh off his critically acclaimed performance in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and just before he’s about to embark on a worldwide press tour for Peter Jackson‘s highly anticipated, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Richard Armitage has decided not to sit around sipping tea and reading books, but instead has signed on to star in the indie psychological thriller, “Sleepwalker” to be directed by Elliott Lester.

Joining Armitage will be Screen Actors Guild Award winner, Ahna O’Reilly who gave us the heartbreaking and unforgettable performance as Elizabeth Leefolt in Tate Taylor‘s The Help.

In a script written by Jack Olsen, Sleepwalker, centers around Sarah (O’Reilly) who’s trying to reconstruct her life following the apparent suicide of her novelist husband. After returning to university, to finish her dissertation, Sarah experiences frequent bouts of sleepwalking. She is sent to Dr. Scott White’s (Armitage) sleep research lab for treatment. When Sarah’s life starts to alternate between her waking world and a nightmarish alternate reality, where no one recognizes that she has ever existed, she is plunged into chaos, confusion and terror. The one constant in her shifting world is Scott, the man she’s been longing for all her life. But does Sarah’s true love actually exist, or is it a figment of Sarah’s troubled imagination that derives from wishful thinking and longing? (I think I had a dream like this once…)

Dr. White character is described as handsome, open and honest (Gee, I wonder how they thought of Armitage?) He’s the senior M.D. at the sleep research center where Sarah comes for treatment. A unique relationship forms between them but the film promises such shocking twists and turns…that nobody will see them coming!

It sounds absolutely thrilling and incredibly intense to me. But for Armitage, who just spent the last several months delivering the most captivatingly gut-wrenching performance as John Proctor at The Old Vic Theatre in London….Dr. White might be a walk in the park for him.

Filming for Sleepwalker began in Los Angeles on October 1st which means the cast should be enjoying sunshine and weather in the high 80’s…unless all the scenes take place at the sleep lab. Still, wear your sunscreen! (By the way, I recommend Shutters on The Beach for drinks and Sunday brunch at The Ivy at The Shore.)

No release date has been set as of yet but the Armitage Army need not fret as Richard will soon grace the screens for one last time as Thorin Oakenshield when the final Hobbit movie opens nationwide on December 17th, 2014 (bring you tissues!) And, there is still the promise of The Crucible, currently in post production, to be released by Digital Theatre…not to mention his recently wrapped film, Urban and the Shed Crew directed by Candida Brady. So there shall be plenty of Armitage to go around for everyone…and just in time for Christmas too!

Sleepwalker Executive Producers are: Sharon Bordas, Hannah Pillimer

Producers: Michael Roiff, Jennifer Glynn

Director: Elliott Lester

Writer: Jack Olsen

Follow Richard Armitage on Twitter @RCArmitage

Lady Anglophile…searching for sleep research lab with handsome doctor attached.