Reese Witherspoon - Reese Witherspoon Joins Devil's Knot Cast

Reese Witherspoon Joins Devil's Knot Cast

Reese Witherspoon has joined the cast of 'Devil's Knot'.

The Oscar-winning actress has signed up to appear in the crime Drama, which is to be directed by Atom Egoyan and is based on reporter Mara Levitt's 2003 book, 'Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three', according to Variety.

In the book, Levitt followed the prolonged murder trial of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., who served 17 years in prison before being released this past August. They were accused of killing three eight-year-old cub scouts found in a wooded area of Arkansas called Robin Hood Hills.

Witherspoon will play Pam Hobbs, the mother of one of the victims.

Initially Hobbs was convinced Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed her son but as the case dragged on, she began to believe the trio were innocent. In November 2007, Hobbs claimed that new evidence had eventually changed her mind. 

The production of the movie is expected to begin next summer and as well as Egoyan and Witherspoon on board, Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman will serve as the screenwriters.