Tom Hardy has signed on to star in the new drama Samarkand for Solar Pictures, returning to indie fare after blockbusters such as The Dark Knight Rises.

The story follows a British SAS soldier (Tom Hardy) who returns home from a Middle East conflict. He struggles to re-acclimate himself to civilian life, while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Greg Williams and Olly Williams wrote the screenplay, which marks their first feature project. The duo developed the script with Tom Hardy and Solar Pictures' Bobby Paunescu (Beyond the Hills).

Tom Hardy also starred in Greg Williams' short film Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother, which won multiple awards for Best Director.

The title Samarkand refers to the Uzbekistan city that is considered one of the oldest in the world.