Frank Grillo cast in Hard Matter

Frank Grillo has joined Harvey Keitel in 'Hard Matter'.

The 56-year-old star has boarded the cast of the action-thriller that is being written and directed by Justin Price and is currently in production in Mississippi.

The film takes place in a new United States that is divided by quadrants, in which a power-hungry company has taken over the conventional prison system and replaced it with a system of deadly watches.

In this version of America, criminals are the new law enforcers that carry out all forms of capital punishment in a bid to regain their place in society.

Wonderfilm Media's Jeff Bowler and Bret Saxon are producing with Latavius Powell and Price for Powell and Price Productions, with Richard Salvatore serving as executive producer.

Bowler and Saxon said: "Having just recently wrapped our film 'Lamborghini', with Frank as the lead, we are so amazed by what he brings to the screen, and we couldn't be any more excited to have him in 'Hard Matter'."

Frank previously revealed that he almost turned down his role as villain Brock Rumlow/Crossbones in 'Avengers: Endgame' due to the direction the character had been taken in by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

He said: "The trajectory of Crossbones took a turn and he was out of the series really quickly, right? And I was a little p***** off about it because, y'know, I signed a seven-picture deal with them.

"And it was like, 'Oh, you're going to be part of the Marvel Universe, right?' And it didn't happen.

"And so they called me and they said, 'Look, we need you to come down for a week for 'Avengers', and I'm like, 'For what?' And they go, 'Well, we can't...' I'm like, 'No, I'm not doing it.' So I hung up. I get a call back. I'm like, 'I'm not coming. Leave me alone.'"