Lakeshore Entertainment has found its director for the Philip Roth adaptation after Phillip Noyce dropped out due to what were understood to be scheduling issues.

Ewan McGregor will make his feature directorial debut in Lakeshore Entertainment’s upcoming Philip Roth adaptation about the death of the American Dream.

As previously reported, McGregor also stars alongside Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning. John Romano adapted the screenplay.

Production on American Pastoral is set to commence in September in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, on the story of an East Coast immigrant during the Vietnam War era whose daughter becomes a radical anti-war protestor.

“Ewan’s talent goes far beyond his on-screen work and we’re excited to be working with a director who is as passionate as we are about telling the story of American Pastoral,” said Lakeshore CEO Tom Rosenberg, who is producing with Gary Lucchesi. 

“It’s a great privilege to be working with Lakeshore on Phillip Roth’s astounding novel American Pastoral,” said McGregor.

“I’ve wanted to direct for years and wanted to wait until I found a story that I ‘had’ to tell and in this script I knew I had found that story. I’m looking forward to the challenge of being on both sides of the camera especially knowing I’ll be working with Jennifer and Dakota.”