Francis Ford Coppola has chosen newcomer Alden Ehrenreich to star in his family drama Tetro, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Maribel Verdu (Pan's Labyrinth) also is joining the cast, and Javier Bardem has an offer for a key role. Bardem, whose deal depends on scheduling, would play an Argentinean literary critic named Unknown. Longtime Coppola cohorts Fred Roos and Anahid Nazarian are exec producing.

Written by Coppola, the script follows a young man (Ehrenreich) journeying to Buenos Aires to find his brother, who left the family years earlier.

Verdu will play the brother's girlfriend.

Production is due to start February in Buenos Aires.