August 29, 2014 - 12:47 AMT
David James Elliott joins Martin Freeman in “American Hangman”

David James Elliott, a star of the JAG TV series for 10 years, has boarded the U.S. indie American Hangman, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.

Elliott is to play Detective James Steptoe in the kidnapping thriller by writer-director Wilson Coneybeare of Los Angeles-based Canoe Lake Films.

American Hangman has already cast Sherlock's Martin Freeman and Brian Cox as leads.

The indie feature will shoot in Canada and the U.K. in November 2014, ahead of a 2015 release.

Marina Cordoni of Toronto-based Marina Cordoni Entertainment has joined the project as executive producer, and will chase pre-sales at the Toronto Film Festival.

Elliott, best known as JAG's Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb, is also set to play Hollywood legend John Wayne in Trumbo, the Dalton Trumbo biopic starring Bryan Cranston and directed by Jay Roach.

Photo: AP Images/Invision