Paul Dano has signed on to star as The Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson in the biopic Love & Mercy. Atticus Ross, who won an Oscar for composing The Social Network score with Trent Reznor, is in talks to provide the music for this biopic.

The drama chronicles Brian Wilson's rise to fame as the singer of The Beach Boys in the 1960s. However, as he became more creatively ambitious, his mental health deteriorated, which lead to him leaving the band. The movie will feature two different actors portraying Brian Wilson, with Paul Dano playing the younger version. The older version has not been cast yet.

Bill Pohlad will make his feature directorial debut, working from a screenplay by Oren Moverman. Bill Pohlad is best known as the producer of movies such as The Tree of Life and Into the Wild. John Wells and Claire Rudnick Polstein are producing. Production will begin this summer.