Between leading the charge on both sides of the camera for Argo, battling inner demons and a twisted spouse in Gone Girl, and the small matter of donning the cape and cowl for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s small wonder that Ben Affleck’s next directorial outing – an adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s Live By Night – has been knocked down the pecking order.
But fret not, for Variety has brought word that Warner Bros. has officially greenlit the project, slating Affleck’s Prohibition-era drama for a November start. According to sources, the award-winning actor had intended to lift the crime tale from the pages of Lehane’s novel shortly after the release of Argo in 2013, but as we alluded to earlier, a couple of things cropped up. And by a couple of things we mean a near-unmissable David Fincher thriller and DC’s titanic comic book showdown.
But for Live By Night, Affleck will channel inspiration from his time on Argo operating on both sides of the lens, only on this occasion stepping into the shoes of one Joe Coughlin, son of a Boston police officer who goes from rags-to-riches-to-rum in becoming one of the most prolific rum dealers on the Gulf Coast circa 1926. Let’s not forget that another acclaimed Lehane novel, Gone Baby Gone, helped put Affleck on the map as a director in 2007, so there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic for the filmmaker’s latest outing.
Aside from the current Bats, Warner Bros.’ adaptation has also brought on board the likes of Elle Fanning, Sienna Miller and Zoe Saldana, while The Walking Dead and Daredevil star Jon Bernthal had been linked with a potential role. Though nothing has come to fruition at the time of writing.
Live By Night is due to open on October 7, 2016.