Tika Sumpter is known for her role as the stunning Candace Young in Tyler Perry’s The Have and Have Nots, but recently she’s been sizzling on the big screen. Last year, the actress enraptured us all as our former First Lady Michelle Obama in the perfect first-date flick Southside With You. Now, she’s gearing up for an even more hard-hitting role. The Hollywood Reporter announced today that Sumpter will star opposite veteran actress Jamie Lee Curtis in The Pages, a political thriller set in Chicago.

The movie follows a former top U.S. security adviser, Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Lamm (Sumpter) who is threatened by associates from her past including Rachel Burke (Curtis), a commanding politician who always achieves her goals. Colluding with Rachel is Adrian, an unyielding, patriotic chief of staff. Meanwhile, Martin (Ben Tavassoli) harbors another type of obsession with Libby. These four characters converge as Libby seeks redemption, Rachel and Adrian seek compliance and Martin seeks the truth. The Pages is being described as “female-fronted story of obsession, collusion and hopeful redemption.”

Chicago-based independent film and TV production company CorradoMooncoin will produce the film, which is being helmed by The Wire co-executive producer/writer/director Joe Chappelle. Said Chappelle about the film, “I’m thrilled to collaborate with this truly stellar cast and amazing crew to tell the story of The Pages. That Colleen [Griffen] and I are able to produce this movie in our hometown of Chicago makes it especially rewarding.”

Though principal photography for the film is set to begin this week, there is no word yet on when The Pages might premiere. Until then, you can watch Sumpter on The Have and Have Nots, which just debuted the second half of Season Four.