I’m not going to even try to hide my excitement at the news that Matt Damon co-wrote and is starring in a feature film, titled Promised Land, about the controversial gas development technique known as fracking. The actor has made his concerns known about fracking’s link to water pollution in this two-minute spot by Working Families Party so I am extremely eager to see what kind of message a full-length feature film will deliver.

Matt Damon is also a co-founder of Water.org, and earlier this year on World Water Day, spoke about the plight of millions who lack clean water:

With Gus Van Sant directing and lots of other big names like Dave Eggers and Frances McDormand attached to the project, I’m also wondering if the oil and gas industry will have to launch yet another Academy Award boycott like they did over Josh Fox’s Oscar-nominated documentary GASLAND.

There are not many details on the script yet, but based on the few clues in a Variety piece, here’s my plot prediction: Matt Damon stars as an oil and gas industry executive who has a change of heart after an encounter with an embattled landowner played by the fetching Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men). I can’t decide if John Krasinski (The Office) will be typecast as a good guy or if he’ll get to stretch creatively by playing a malevolent industry-type.

Filming begins later this month in frack-free Pittsburgh. Word has it they’re casting for extras in the area this weekend. I am more than a little tempted to answer Hollywood’s siren call.