Ed Zwick ("The Last Samurai," "Blood Diamond") penned and will direct the World War II drama. The project is based on Nechama Tec's book "Defiance: The Bielski Partisans."

Jamie Bell ("Flags of Our Fathers," "Billy Elliot"), Alexa Davalos ("The Chronicles of Riddick," "Reunion") and Tomas Arana ("Gladiator," "The Bourne Supremacy") have also been added to the cast.

Based on a true story, the film centers on three Jewish brothers (Craig, Schreiber and Bell) who escape Nazi-occupied Poland and join Russian resistance fighters who return to battle the Nazis.

Schreiber recently starred in the Broadway staging of Eric Bogosian's Talk Radio, earning a Tony Award nomination for his work. He won the Tony in 2005 for Glengarry Glen Ross. His previous work in film has included "The Painted Veil," the "Scream" trilogy, "Kate and Leopold," "Ransom" and "The Manchurian Candidate." He made his directorial debut with "Everything Is Illuminated," which he also adapted.

The actor was also seen onstage in Henry V and Macbeth, in Harold Pinter's Betrayal, Neil LaBute's The Mercy Seat and Othello. On television, he has been seen in the HBO film "Lackawanna Blues" as well as the made-for-television movies "RKO 281" and "Spinning Boris."