Matt Dillon has signed on to star in the upcoming film Cadillac Records. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he will play Leonard Chess, legendary founder of the South Side Chicago blues label Chess Records.

The plot will follow the rise and fall of Chess Records, which launched the careers of Muddy Waters, Etta James and Chuck Berry. Chess was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and was known for scouring the south, looking for new talent.

Darnell Martin wrote and will direct the screenplay, which is being produced through Sony Pictures. The film will start shooting in January around the New Jersey and Chicago areas.