Lucy Hale to star in survival thriller

Lucy Hale and Nicholas Gonzalez will lead the upcoming survival thriller Borrego.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Pretty Little Liars actress has signed on to play a young botanist who relocates to a small desert town to study an invasive plant species. While she's out doing research, she comes across a downed plane and goes to investigate, only to find herself taken captive by an inexperienced drug mule who forces her to lead a trek across the sweltering desert to his drop.

The Good Doctor actor Gonzalez, who also had a recurring role in Pretty Little Liars, will play a local sheriff, who is drawn into the hunt as his rebellious daughter sets out to find the missing botanist, all the while being pursued by a local drug receiver.

Narcos actors Leynar Gomez and Jorge A. Jimenez and relative newcomer Olivia Trujillo round out the cast.

Jesse Harris, making his feature film directorial debut, will helm the project from his own script. He will also produce alongside Hale.

"Can't wait to go make my film with this dream cast and producing team," he wrote alongside a screengrab of the casting news on Instagram. "Thanks to everyone who's been a champion of this project over the years. @lucyhale @eltexmex @leynar.gomez @jorge.a.jimenez.oficial @oliviatrujillo @greglauritano @dtucci27 @tiziano.tucci."

Borrego will also be produced by Black Magic's Greg Lauritano, who recently worked with Hale on upcoming comedy-drama Big Gold Brick, as well as Tucci & Company's Damiano and Tiziano Tucci.

"So excited about this! Running it back with @lucyhale," Lauritano added on Instagram, and the Katy Keene actress shared the post on her Instagram Stories.