Zac Efron has been tapped to star in a new untitled romantic-action flick for Mandate Pictures. The screenplay for the film, which was previously titled The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, was written by Matt Drake (the upcoming Project X) and ended up on 2007’s Black List of the top unproduced screenplays. Fredrik Bond will make his feature film debut directing the project, having helmed numerous commercials for brands like Nike, Adidas, Guinness and Heineken. The story is as follows:

The film will follow Efron, a suburban kid, who spontaneously travels to Eastern Europe to find himself.  Early on in his comedic journey, he falls for an alluring young woman and the only thing standing between them is her charismatic, dangerous ex from a criminal underworld.  Armed with little more than his wit and naive charm, Efron endures one bruising beat down after another in order to woo the girl he loves and achieve salvation.

Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa of Bona Fide Productions are producing the film along with William Horberg. Efron recently finished filming the Nicholas Sparks adaptation The Lucky One, and just wrapped on Garry Marshall’s New Years Eve. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Here's the full press release:

ZAC EFRON TO STAR IN THE UNTITLED MATT DRAKE PROJECT

FOR MANDATE PICTURES

FREDRIK BOND TO DIRECT THE ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BY MATT DRAKE

Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa and William Horberg Producing

Los Angeles (March 14, 2011) – Zac Efron will star in Mandate Pictures’ untitled romantic actioner written by Matt Drake.  The film will be directed by commercial director Fredrik Bond. The screenplay, originally titled The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, was featured on the 2007 Black List.  Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa of Bona Fide Productions will produce along with William Horberg. Mandate president Nathan Kahane and Dean Parisot will executive produce.  Carlo Martinelli will serve as a co-producer. Lawrence Grey will oversee the project on behalf of Mandate.  The film is a priority project for the company.  Lionsgate is handling international sales.

The film will follow Efron, a suburban kid, who spontaneously travels to Eastern Europe to find himself.  Early on in his comedic journey, he falls for an alluring young woman and the only thing standing between them is her charismatic, dangerous ex from a criminal underworld.  Armed with little more than his wit and naive charm, Efron endures one bruising beat down after another in order to woo the girl he loves and achieve salvation.

Fredrik Bond is a Swedish multi-award winning director of commercials and music videos. He has done some of the industry's most memorable ads for clients such as Nike, Levis, Adidas, Guinness and Heineken. He's was nominated 2004, 2008 and 2009 by Directors Guild of America as the year's most outstanding director in commercials and he was listed by the industry's leading magazine Creativity as one of the most influential people in 2008 and 2009.

Zac Efron recently finished working on the Warner Brothers/Scott Hicks film The Lucky One. A film adaptation from the Nicholas Sparks novel, “The Lucky One” tells the story of a Marine who returns to North Carolina after serving in Iraq and searches for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war. He also just wrapped production on New Year’s Eve. The film, directed by Garry Marshall, tracks the lives of several couples an singles who lives intertwine over the course of New Year’s Eve. Efron starred in Disney’s extremely successful High School Musical franchise. High School Musical 2 broke cable TV records and High School Musical 3: Senior Year, set a box office record as the highest grossing opening weekend total for a musical. His other film credits include 17 Again, Hairspray, Me and Orson Welles and Charlie St. Cloud.

Zac Efron is repped by CAA, Alchemy Entertainment, and attorney Patti Felker of Felker, Toczek, Gellman, Suddleson. Fredrik Bond is represented by CAA and Management 360.  Matt Drake is represented by Original Artists.  Dan Freedman, Mandate’s SVP of business affairs, negotiated the deals for the company.