"The Work and the Glory: American Zion" will open nationwide Oct. 21, the movie's production company, Vineyard Productions, announced Thursday.

The movie incorporates the second and third books in Gerald N. Lund's nine-volume series of historical novels, which chronicle one family's struggles during the founding days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The new movie is directed by Sterling VanWagenen, who directed the 1992 coming-of-age drama "Alan & Naomi," and is credited as one of the co-founders of the Sundance Film Festival. The returning cast includes Sam Hennings ("The Aviator"), Brenda Strong ("Desperate Housewives"), Eric Johnson ("Smallville") and Jonathan Scarfe ("Into the West").

The new movie, filmed in Tennessee, is the first to be released by Vineyard Distribution, the company formed in June by Vineyard Productions' co-founder Scott Swofford and Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller. Swofford is producer on the movie, and Miller is executive producer.

- Sean P. Means