DECATUR - The cast and Decatur shooting dates are set for the film "The Informant."

The film, starring Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh, is based on Kurt Eichenwald's 2000 book about Archer Daniels Midland Co.'s 1990s-era price-fixing scandal.

According to an e-mail sent to a number of area residents from one of the production's organizers, the filming dates are May 3 to 23, shooting six days a week.

Damon has been cast to play Mark Whitacre, the whistle-blower who worked with the FBI and wore a wire for 2½ years with the company, building a federal case of price-fixing the food additive lysine.

The Hollywood Reporter last week released several more names cast in the film. Playing Brian Shepard, Whitacre's principal FBI contact, will be Scott Bakula, who starred in the television series "Enterprise" and "Quantum Leap."

Joel McHale, host of the E! Network show "The Soup," is reported to be playing another FBI agent.

The Hollywood Reporter characterized the film's tone as a "darkly comic thriller," and listed a number of other lesser-known actors as having roles in the film.

Among the others mentioned are Mike O'Malley (CBS' "Yes, Dear"), Andrew Daly ("MAD-TV"), Adam Paul (Starz cable series "Hollywood Residential") and Melanie Lynskey (CBS' "Two and a Half Men").

Comedian-actors Tom Wilson (Biff in the "Back to the Future" films), Rick Overton and Tom Papa will round out the cast.

Tim Cain can be reached at timcain@herald-review.com or 421-6908.