Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under) and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) are in line to join the cast of Joss Whedon's upcoming horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jenkins is on board and Whitford is in final negotiations to star in the mystery-shrouded MGM/UA horror project, written by Whedon and Drew Goddard, who also is directing. Whedon is producing, the trade paper reported.

Much like Cloverfield, which Goddard scripted, the Cabin storyline provides a new twist on a classic scenario: in this case, the young-people-stranded-in-the-woods horror movie.

While the studio and filmmakers were reluctant to provide character details, it is understood that Jenkins and Whitford will play white-collar co-workers with a mysterious connection to the cabin.

The United Artists production is preparing for a spring shoot and will open wide Feb. 5, 2010, with MGM distributing.