No matter how unknown the actual helmer might be, Terrence Malick‘s name, even in the producing capacity, can attract anyone with a head on their shoulders. So, while he’ll only be doing behind-the-scenes work on the Abraham Lincoln drama Green Blade Rising — and while newcomer A.J. Meadows is actually the one doing its heavy lifting — things are off to a very good start, with Diane Kruger and Jason Clarke at the head of its cast.

Further and further does that influence extend with its latest acquisitions, as a press release tell us Wes Bentley — who Malick recently worked with on Knight of Cups — and Brit Marling (Sound of My Voice, Arbitrage) are taking (what sound like) healthy spots in Rises. The former is signed to appear as the first teacher of Lincoln’s (obviously some kind of influential figure in his life), while the latter has been tapped for the part of his mother, Nancy, who died when the man was nine. (This, in certain ways, makes her an opposite to Kruger, as she’ll be seen in the role of Abe’s stepmother.)

Both bring their own dollop of talent to Green Blade Rises, which has only been earning my trust with these little, bit-by-bit collections. It’s probably going to feel silly, seeing another Lincoln-centered film after that other one comes in just over a month’s time, but another look into this fascinating life might have something new to say — and if it has the confidence of Malick, it has mine, too. Check out the official press release below including a full synopsis.

September 28, 2012 – Wes Bentley (The Hunger Games) and Brit Marling (Another Earth) have joined The Green Blade Rises, the feature film about Abraham Lincoln’s formative years, with a cast that also includes Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) and Jason Clarke (Public Enemies), who play Lincoln’s step-mother and father. Wes Bentley will play the future President’s first teacher and Brit Marling will play Nancy, his biological mother who withstood the challenges of pioneer life.

The Green Blade Rises tells the untold story of the youth of America’s greatest hero. It chronicles the hardships that shaped him, including abandonment by his father in the harsh winter wilderness, the tragedy that marked him forever and the two women who guided him to immortality, putting him on the path to becoming one of the most influential Presidents in United States history.

The Green Blade Rises is the directorial debut of AJ Edwards, who also wrote the original screenplay, and is produced by Terrence Malick (The Tree Of Life), Nicolas Gonda (The Tree Of Life) and Charley Beil (To The Wonder) with Joseph Krigsfeld, Jason Krigsfeld and Suzanne Deal Booth as executive producers and Jake DeVito is co-producer. AJ Edwards has worked with Terrence Malick on three of his films including To The Wonder, The Tree Of Life and The New World. He got his start as an editorial intern on Malick’s The New World and served as the editor on his most recent film To The Wonder.

Margery Simkin (Avatar) is the Casting Director and the Production Designer is Caroline Hanania (Serendipity). Hank Corwin (The Tree Of Life) is the film’s Editor. Christopher Tandon (Kill Bill) is the Art Director and Lisa Tomczeszyn (X-Men: The Last Stand) serves as the Costume Designer. The music in The Green Blade Rises is composed by Zbigniew Preisner (The Secret Garden).

How do Bentley and Marling alter your perception of Green Blade Rising? Do they, at all?