Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to star in The Way, Way Back, which will be directed by The Descendants team, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Playlist have reported.

The project, which has taken years to get off the ground, tells the story of a teenage boy who over the course of summer forms a friendship that gives him the strength to stand up to his bullying stepfather and reconnect with his mother.

The film will be directed by Faxon and Rash with Mandate Pictures, Paul Young and Shawn Levy all producing.

Young brought the script by Faxon and Rash to Shawn Levy, then titled The Way Back, all the way back in 2007. He immediately took a shine to it, committed to direct and Fox Searchlight gave it a greenlight.

Unfortunately there were many complications along the way, including the WGA strike of 2007, Mandate Pictures scooping it up and Tom Bezucha (The Family Stone) becoming attached for a short while in 2009.

Now, two years later, the project is in the hands of producer Kevin Walsh, with a new title of The Way, Way Back, and things finally seem to be on a roll with Jake Gyllenhaal in talks for the lead role.

It’s a good job that Faxon and Rash know how to be patient, with The Descendants only making it to the big screen this year after beginning in 2006.

Developments are happening though, so we will tell you more when we see any more sign of movement.