Actor Simon Pegg has signed onto the upcoming indie drama A Fantastic Fear of Everything for Universal Studios and Pinewood Films, a new financing arm of Pinewood Studios.

Simon Pegg will play a noted children's author who starts writing an adult crime novel. His research into Victorian Era serial killers makes the author paranoid, convinced he will be murdered at any minute. When a Hollywood studio executive shows interest in his book, the author has a complete meltdown. Amara Karan, Clare Higgins, Sheridan Smith, and Alan Drake round out the cast.

Crispian Mills, the former lead singer of the indie rock band Kula Shaker, wrote the screenplay and is making his directorial debut with A Fantastic Fear of Everything.

Production began at Pinewood Shepperton Studios on July 6. It isn't clear when A Fantastic Fear of Everything will be released yet.