The week’s best indie news was saved for a Friday night. Better late than never, since Variety reports that Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning are both in talks to headline Night Moves, the new Kelly Reichardt picture for which Peter Sarsgaard has been attached to star.

While prior reports named Paul Dano as the film’s second lead — fitting, seeing as he was just worked with the helmer on Meek’s Cutoff — scheduling conflicts have forced him to drop it. (Eisenberg taking his place? Jesus, could that be a better trade-off?) Zuckerberg should sign as the leader of a three-member eco-terrorist group aiming to blow up a dam; Sarsgaard will be seen as “the mastermind behind the bomb,” and Fanning is the team’s well-off financier. (As you may or may not remember, Rooney Mara was approached for the lattermost part back in September.)

If that sounds a bit darker than, say, To Rome with Love or Twilight, it might be useful to remember that Night Moves is, really, about people who abhor killing and “just want to change the world.” Not that I’m saying eco-terrorism is okay.

Anyhow. We have, right here, a pretty tremendous deal for what, I think, is one of the more promising films waiting to hit screens. Chalk the enthusiasm up to experience; Meek’s Cutoff was one of my very favorite films of 2011, I love Eisenberg, and this might be the finest chance Fanning has to grow as an actress. Let’s make Night Moves happen, shall we?

The film will begin shooting this October.

How do you feel about Eisenberg and Fanning completing Moves‘ trifecta?