William Hurt and Amber Heard have joined Zach Gilford in The River Why, an adaptation of the 1983 Sierra Club novel by David James Duncan. Matt Leutwyler is directing.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the coming-of-age tale centers on a young man named Gus Orviston (Gilford) and his quest for an elusive rainbow trout, which is a metaphor for the man's internal search for self-knowledge.

Hurt is Gus' father, while Heard is his love interest, a tomboy fly-fisher.

Thomas A. Cohen and John Hay Osborn Jr. wrote the adaptation.

Lensing begins in early July in Oregon.

The River Why was released in 2009 and stars Amber Heard, William Hurt, Zach Gilford, Kathleen Quinlan, William Devane, Gattlin Griffith, Dallas Roberts, Nikki Deloach. The film is directed by Matthew Leutwyler.