Samuel L Jackson has joined Hailee Steinfeld on RKO Pictures’ Barely Lethal, which Highland Film Group is selling on the Croisette.

Kyle Newman will direct the action comedy from a screenplay by John D’Arco. Shooting is scheduled to commence this autumn on the story of a teenage assassin who fakes her own death and enrols in high school, only to be pursued by her former handler.

RKO Pictures president of production Vanessa Coifman and Ted Hartley produce alongside Brett Ratner and John Cheng for Rat Entertainment and Hopscotch Pictures’ Sukee Chew. 

ICM Partners represents Jackson and Steinfeld.