Jake Gyllenhaal is set to pull double duty as the two leads in the thriller An Enemy. Variety reports that Gyllenhaal is in negotiations to star as “a dysfunctional history teacher who accidentally discovers his exact double on a rented DVD, seeks him out and ends up turning both of their lives upside down.” Denis Villeneuve, who was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for his pic Incendies, is onboard to direct. The film is based on the novel The Double by Jose Saramago, and Javier Gullion is set to write the script.

Gyllenhaal most recently wrapped the gritty cop drama End of Watch, and considered taking the lead in Motor City before bowing out. Villeneuve recently committed to directing Hugh Jackman in the vigilante thriller Prisoners, but production on that film won’t begin until next January due to Jackman’s busy schedule. Villeneuve is expected to shoot An Enemy this year. Hit the jump to read the synopsis for The Double.