New indie production and finance shingle Werc Werk Works has stepped in to fully finance and produce writer-director Todd Solondz’s next film, an untitled part-sequel, part-companion piece to his controversial dark comedy "Happiness."

Founded by Elizabeth Redleaf and producer Christine Kunewa Walker ("American Splendor," "Factotum"), the company will initially produce three to four films a year.

Solondz wrote the screenplay, which revolves around a group of struggling individuals. struggling to find a place for themselves in an unpredictable and volatile world. The narrative is told through a series of intersecting love stories.; the past haunts the present and imperils the future: ghosts circle and loom, trouble and console.

The project has been incubating for years, with Emma Thompson, Demi Moore and Paul Reubens rumored to be attached. "Happiness," which featured themes of child molestation and rape, initially received an NC-17 from the MPAA board but was eventually released unrated.

Walker, Mike S. Ryan and Derrick Tseng are producing the untitled film. Exec producers are Redleaf and Ken Bailey.

The film is scheduled to begin principal photography in October in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Casting is currently under way.

Fortissimo Films has confirmed that it has acquired international rights from Werc Werk Works to Todd Solondz's Forgiveness and will commence pre-sales at EFM next month on the loose sequel to the director's 1998 dark comedy Happiness.

Fortissimo has always been connected to the project but the film has undergone several transformations in structure since the initial announcement in 2006.

Elizabeth Redleaf and Christine Kunewa Walker's East Coast production, financing and distribution company Werc Werk Works is fully financing and producing the film, which recently wrapped production in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Allison Janney, Ciaran Hinds, Charlotte Rampling, Shirley Henderson, Michael Kenneth Williams and Paul Reubens are among the cast.

The theme of forgiveness weaves its way through a series or love stories as people struggle to find meaning in a war-torn world riddled with comedy and pathos.

In revisiting his darkly comic 1998 ensembler "Happiness," Todd Solondz may have made his best film with "Life During Wartime." The distinctive, boundary-pushing writer-director has had the eccentric inspiration to resurrect the same central characters a decade later, but using entirely different actors. Winning result, which reels off one riveting scene after another, stands as both a unique sort-of sequel and a film that requires no prior reference points; it's entirely satisfying either way, though even richer if you recall the antecedent. The resolutely niche filmmaker has never had a real breakout success and the confrontational nature of his latest won't change that fact, but his loyal following will be buoyed by this strong effort.