Lionsgate has sent out a press release announcing the start of principal photography on Nima Nourizadeh's action comedy American Ultra.  Jesse Eisenberg stars as “an unmotivated stoner named Mike, who lives with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), in a small, sleepy town. One night, their lives take an unexpected turn when Mike’s past comes back to haunt him, and he becomes the target of a government operation set to wipe him out."  The press release also notes that Bill Pullman (Independence Day) and Tony Hale (Arrested Development) have joined the solid supporting cast, which also includes Topher Grace, John Leguizamo, and Walton Goggins.

Hit the jump to check out the press release.

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Here's the press release:

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON “AMERICAN ULTRA”

BILL PULLMAN AND TONY HALE JOIN CAST

SANTA MONICA, CA (April 14, 2014) – Production is set to begin today in New Orleans on the Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) action comedy film “American Ultra.” Directed by Nima Nourizadeh (“Project X”) and written by Max Landis (“Chronicle” and the upcoming “Frankenstein”), the film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Tony Hale, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman and Walton Goggins.   A PalmStar/Likely Story/Circle of Confusion production, the film is produced by Anthony Bregman (“Begin Again”  and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”), Kevin Frakes, Raj Brinder Singh, David Alpert (“The Walking Dead”) and Britton Rizzio, with Ray Angelic as executive producer.  Jason Constantine, President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions and Eda Kowan, SVP of Acquisitions, will oversee the project on behalf of Lionsgate. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales.

“American Ultra” is a fast-paced action comedy about Mike (Eisenberg), a seemingly hapless and unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe (Stewart), is suddenly turned upside down.  Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes back to haunt him, Mike is thrust into the middle of a deadly government operation and is forced to summon his inner action-hero in order to survive.