David Ayer's gritty indie thriller The Tax Collector has been acquired by RLJE Films, which is expected to release the film in theaters this August.

All along, we'd been led to believe that Shia LaBeouf was the main star of this film, but new plot details suggest that Bobby Soto (Narcos: Mexico) is the true protagonist.

Per Deadline, the film follows David (Soto) and Creeper (LaBeouf), who works as “tax collectors” for a crime lord named Wizard, collecting his cut from the profits of local gangs. But when Wizard’s old rival returns to Los Angeles from Mexico, his entire business is upended, and David finds himself desperate to protect what matters most to him -- his family.

Ayer wrote the script for the film, which co-stars George Lopez and Cinthya Carmona (East Los High), and was a co-production between Cross Creek Pictures and Cedar Park Entertainment. Ayer also produced with Chris Long, Tyler Thompson and Matthew Antoun.

I've been looking forward to The Tax Collector ever since we saw the first photo of LaBeouf in character, covered in tattoos. While I'm disappointed he's not the film's true lead, he delivered two of his best performances last year with his supporting turns in Honey Boy and The Peanut Butter Falcon, so here's hoping he can keep the streak going. I'm also excited to see Ayer return to the genre he knows best after directing the disappointing blockbusters Suicide Squad and Bright.

RLJE's recent releases include the Nicolas Cage movies Mandy and Color Out of Space, as well as The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot starring Sam Elliott. I imagine the company will cut a trailer for The Tax Collector soon, so be on the lookout. Ayer just signed on to direct the thriller Six Years for Netflix, so click here for more on that project.