Pell James is set to star in Dark Circles, the first announced frightener for 2012 from After Dark Originals. She joins a cast that includes Jonathan Schaech (ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2), Philippe Brenninkmeyer (Beerfest), Michael Patrick Rogers (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3-D) and Andrea Frankle (The Haunting in Georgia).

The film’s synopsis reads:

Urbanites Alex and Penny escape their stuffy city life to raise their newborn in the country. Instead, they find their spacious farmhome harbors horrors that threaten their relationship, imperil their son, and drive them to acts that neither believed they were capable of, but both are powerless to stop.

Horror fans may recognize James as stab victim Cecelia Shepard in David Fincher’s snorefest Zodiac and as sexy coke-head Bobbi in Jennifer Lynch’s superb serial-killer thriller Surveillance. The 34-year-old starlet also appeared in the popular cult comedy Fanboys.

Paul Soter (of moderately humorous comedy troupe Broken Lizard … ok, they suck) is attached to direct Dark Circles.