The cast for the pre-apocalyptic rom-com Seeking a Friend for the End of the World has just kind of exploded.  The film was already set to star Steve Carell as a man who is joined by a woman (Keira Knightley) to find his old high-school sweeheart before the world is destroyed by an asteroid.  Yesterday, we learned that the talented Gillian Jacobs had joined the film and now we've received a press release announcing that a truckload of other great actors have signed on as well.  Check out this line-up: Connie Britton, Patton Oswalt, Rob Huebel (who yesterday signed on to another apocalypse-based comedy, Rapturepalooza), Melanie Lynskey, T.J. Miller, Melinda Dillon as well as Aaron Brown (The District), Tonita Castro (The Sarah Silverman Program), Mark Moses (Desperate Housewives), and Bob Stephenson (Jericho).  And this is all in addition to the previously announced cast-members William Petersen, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry (also in Rapturepalooza), Derek Luke, and Lindsay Sloane.  How can the movie squeeze in this kind of ensemble?  It's a road-trip picture, which means most of these folks will probably only have a scene or two, but it's better than nothing.Lorene Scafaria (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) is making her directorial debut from her own script.  Production on the film begins this week. Hit the jump to check out the press release.[Update: We've updated the article with a couple of set photos featuring Carell and Knightley. Check them out after the jump]Here's the press release:

PRODUCTION BEGINS ON

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD,

STARRING STEVE CARELL AND KEIRA KNIGHTLEY

FOR WRITER/DIRECTOR LORENE SCAFARIA;

CAST, CREW SET FOR PRE-APOCALYPTIC COMEDY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES, May 18, 2011 – Production begins this week on Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. The pre-apocalyptic comedy stars Golden Globe Award winner Steve Carell and Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley.

Confirmed as joining the two lead actors in the cast are – in alphabetical order – Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), Adam Brody (Damsels in Distress), Roger Aaron Brown (The District), Tonita Castro (The Sarah Silverman Program), Rob Corddry (Mandate’s Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay), two-time Academy Award nominee Melinda Dillon (Close Encounters of the Third Kind), Rob Huebel (Human Giant), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Derek Luke (Focus’ Catch a Fire), Melanie Lynskey (Focus’ Away We Go), T.J. Miller (Cloverfield), Mark Moses (Desperate Housewives), Patton Oswalt (United States of Tara), William Petersen (CSI), Lindsay Sloane (Horrible Bosses), and Bob Stephenson (Jericho).

Two-time Independent Spirit Award nominee Tim Orr is the film’s cinematographer; the production designer is Chris Spellman (Indian Paintbrush’s Jeff Who Lives At Home). Kristin Burke (Insidious) is costume designer; Zene Baker (Mandate’s 50/50) is editor.

Set in a too-near future, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World explores what people will do when humanity’s last days are at hand. Can one man find his greatest love at the worst possible time? As the respective journeys of Dodge (Mr. Carell) and Penny (Ms. Knightley) converge, the two spark to each other and their outlooks – if not the world’s – brighten.

Ms. Scafaria, who wrote the original screenplay, is making her feature directorial debut with the film. She wrote the screenplay adaptation for the 2008 feature Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, also for Mandate, which starred Michael Cera and Kat Dennings.

Focus Features holds U.S. distribution rights to Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, which is being co-financed by Indian Paintbrush and Mandate Pictures. The movie is being produced by Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Steve Golin and Joy Gorman of Anonymous Content; and by Indian Paintbrush’s Steven Rales and Mark Roybal. Mandate Pictures’ Nathan Kahane and Nicole Brown are executive producers; Mandate’s Kelli Konop and Indian Paintbrush’s Jeff Sommerville are co-producers. Lionsgate is handling international sales on the title.

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Here are some set photos (via Accidental Sexiness):

Head over to Accidental Sexiness to check out the rest of the set photos.