Ryan Gosling has managed to have a pretty successful career staying just out of the average moviegoer’s view. Sure he had a big “chick flick” success with The Notebook but movies like Half Nelson and The United States of Leland weren’t noticed by the casual movie patron, even if Nelson got him an Oscar nod. Now he’s breaking that independent, out of view streak, and he’s breaking it in a big way.

Gosling has signed on to star opposite Rachel Weisz in Peter Jackson’s next film, The Lovely Bones, reports Variety. The story is about a young girl who is murdered and watches over her former family from heaven, while also keeping a watchful eye on her killer. Gosling will play the little girl’s father with Weisz playing the mother.

Jackson used to be out of the public eye as well, with little attention being paid to his films until he took on epics like The Lord of the Rings and King Kong. You can bet just about every eye will be on his next picture to see what he can do with a good old fashioned emotional story instead of a huge epic. That’s not to say that little girl’s conflict between vengeance and healing won’t be full of interest and effects, but it’s definitely a step away from the big pictures Jackson has been doing. It’ll be interesting to see how The Lovely Bones fares.