Don't call him some lousy phony kid: Nicholas Hoult is set to play legendary American author J.D. Salinger in an upcoming biopic.

According to Variety, the movie about the life of the "Catcher in the Rye" author will be titled "Rebel in the Rye." Danny Strong, whose writing credits include "Lee Daniels' The Butler," "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" and several episodes of TV's "Empire," is set to write and direct the movie. This will be Strong's feature directorial debut, following an episode of "Empire."

The script is inspired by Kenneth Slawenski's Salinger biography, "JD Salinger: A Life." Look forward to seeing depictions of everything from Salinger's military service in WWII, his writer's block, his (lousy?) childhood and the eventual hatching of "The Catcher In the Rye."

No word yet on whether there'll be any crummy hats with ears on set.