Burt Reynolds will head the cast of a movie to be shot in Florida about a 1970s teenager who died from bone cancer, the film's writer-director says.

"A Fonder Heart" will be shot at locales in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area starting next month, writer-director Jim Fitzpatrick told Wednesday's St. Petersburg Times.

"This movie is about a buddy of mine named Joey Boone who passed away from bone cancer when we were freshmen at Seminole (High School in St. Petersburg)," Fitzpatrick, 49, told the newspaper. "Joey and this guy ended up being hospital roommates, and developed this pseudo father-son relationship. It's really a beautiful story."

The film's Web site indicated its cast will also include Louis Gossett Jr., Stockard Channing, Charles Durning, Daryl Hannah, Rachel Hunter, James Brolin and former "Cheers" co-star Shelley Long. The Times said Fitzpatrick will take six weeks to shoot "A Fonder Heart" for $5.5 million, using such locations as Clearwater Beach, Morton Plant Hospital and St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport.

Fitzpatrick said Reynolds will play a wealthy land developer who is the father figure, while Alexander Ludwig ("Race to Witch Mountain") will play the teenager.