We’ve been keeping an eye on director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, which will tell the true story of Solomon Northrup, a New York citizen who was kidnapped in Washington in 1841 and forced to work on a cotton plantation in the South.

You may recall that Chiwetel Ejiofor has been cast as Northrup in the film, which is based on his 1853 autobiography.

But today, Variety reported that Michael Fassbender, who has worked with director McQueen on two other projects (Hunger and Shame), will join the cast as well.

Fassbender’s exact role hasn’t been revealed as yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

Plan B’s Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner are set to produce the film, which is expected to start production early next year.