Mark Wahlberg has signed on to star in M. Night Shyamalan's thriller, The Happening for 20th Century Fox.

The film revolves around a family on the run from an apocalyptic threat to humanity; Wahlberg will play Elliot Moore, the science teacher at the center of the event. The Hollywood Reporter adds Shyamalan wrote the original screenplay and will produce with Sam Mercer and Barry Mendel.

Production on The Happening is set to begin in August in Philadelphia; a June 13, 2008 release date has been set.