James Franco is nothing if not out there. The avant-garde artist, actor and writer recently optioned Stephen Elliott’s 2010 ‘The Adderall Diaries,’ a memoir that starts out as a cracked-out chronicle of a bizarre murder trial, and now he’s starring in ‘Cherry,’ an indie film directed by Elliott in which he will play a cocaine-addicted lawyer. Heather Graham, Dev Patel (‘Slumdog Millionaire’) and Lili Taylor are in negotiations to take leading roles.

The film centers on a troubled 18-year-old girl (yet to be cast) who moves to San Francisco where she enters the porn industry and becomes involved with the lawyer. Graham will play a former porn star (shades of ‘Boogie Nights’) turned director who becomes mildly obsessed with the steamy young starlet, Taylor will play the teen’s alcoholic mother, and Patel will play the girl’s best friend who’s also in love with her, according to Variety.

The film will begin production next month in San Francisco.