EXCLUSIVE: Zach Braff is joining Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and Morgan Freeman in writer-director George Gallo’s action-comedy The Comeback Trail.

De Niro will play Max Barber, a man in debt to a mob boss (played by Freeman), who creates an insurance fraud by casting washed-up, suicidal cowboy/movie star Duke Montana (Jones) in a poorly written Western with the intention of killing him during the first days of filming. Duke somehow rises to the occasion, redeems his past misdeeds and brings Max and others along on the same journey.

Braff will play Max’s producing partner. The film will reunite him with Freeman whom he directed in the 2017 Warner Brothers feature Going In Style.

Josh Posner co-wrote the film’s screenplay, which is based on the 1970s film of the same name, written, directed and produced by the late Harry Hurwitz. Lensing is due to begin in June in New Mexico. Storyboard Media is selling in Cannes.

Producers are Steven Tyler Sahlein, March On Productions’ Richard Salvatore (The Big Wedding), and David Ornston, along with Joy Sirott Hurwitz and Julie Lott Gallo. The film is being financed and executive produced by Empire Media Partners’ Justin Calvillo and John DeMarco, Storyboard Media’s Philip Kim, Patrick Hibler, and Elisabeth Costa de Beauregard, along with Ben Ruedinger and Joerg Fischer.

Braff recently wrapped indie film Percy starring opposite Christopher Walken and Christina Ricci and directed the short In The Time It Takes To Get There starring Florence Pugh and Alicia Silverstone. He is repped by CAA, Management 360 and attorney Ken Richman.