Two of the most enticing words in the english language are “Michael Shannon.” Attach that name to just about anything and you’ve automatically made it 100 percent more interesting. That may be the case with The Current War, as Shannon is in talks to join what could be a very, very early contender for the 2017 awards season. Benedict Cumberbatch is already set to star in the upcoming historical drama about the battle between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse.

According to THR, Shannon is eyeing a lead role opposite Cumberbatch in The Current War, aka the epic period drama battle of our collective dreams (and also a great opportunity for Cumberbatch to convince Shannon to switch sides and appear in a Marvel movie). Me and Earl and the Dying Girl director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon will helm The Current War, and with The Weinstein Company’s backing, it’s a safe bet that this one is heading straight for next year’s awards season.

Based on a screenplay by Michael Mitnick (Vinyl), The Current War centers on inventor Thomas Edison and engineer and entrepreneur George Westinghouse, and their feud over electric power distribution in the late 19th century. The former was a proponent of DC (direct current), while the latter advocated for AC (alternate current). Shannon will replace his Nocturnal Animals co-star Jake Gyllenhaal in the project, which has been in development for quite some time.

While the film has no official release date, you can see Cumberbatch show off a different set of powers very soon when Doctor Strange hits theaters on November 4.

More From ScreenCrush