EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros and Pearl Street Films has set Will Staples to script an untitled big-scale project that will be developed as a directing and starring vehicle for Ben Affleck. The film is set in Africa, where a bunch of mercenaries are hired to kill a warlord who has been victimizing his own people. The film is both an action movie and an examination of the moral ambiguities of how philanthropy and foreign assistance veers into modern-day neocolonialism. It also tracks how involvement in the affairs of foreign countries is always a good deal more complicated than anticipated in the planning stages. These were themes that informed Affleck’s previous film Argo, which won Best Picture for Warner Bros. Affleck, who hatched the idea for the film and pitched it to Staples, will produce with Matt Damon and Jennifer Todd through their Warner Bros-based Pearl Street banner. Jon Berg is overseeing for the studio.
Affleck is starring with Rosamund Pike in the David Fincher-directed Gone Girl, and he’s directing and starring in Live By Night, an epic period crime drama that he adapted from the best-selling novel by Dennis Lehane, author of Affleck’s first directorial outing Gone Baby Gone. Affleck is also going to star with Henry Cavill in the Zack Snyder-directed Batman Vs. Superman for the studio.
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Staples scripted the Fox film Myth, which has James Cameron, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sam Worthington involved, as well as King of Heists, a vehicle for Jeremy Renner. He’s repped by WME and Management 360. Affleck is repped by WME.
Geopolitical drama set in Africa = box office poison.
Racist much?
I’ve seen plenty of semi-racist comments on Deadline. This is not one of them.
Ask that to the 20’s year olds who make up the majority of the movie going audience if they want to see a movie like that. I bet you’ll get a big “NO”.
They might say the same thing if you described ARGO in unflattering terms.
Jill, exactly WHAT is racist about saying a Ben Affleck political movie won’t be a huge blockbuster?
WOW! I thought the fanboys were being tough on Afflect, but who would have thought that you can’t even criticize a Ben Affleck movie pitch without someone claiming racism!
Not racist, it’s another word that begins with R and ends with IST…
Oh yeah. Realist.
Why ~ because it’s not a sexy vampire super hero fueled by rap music?
Got it in one.
No love for Mandela? Blood Diamond?
Fleming must be dyslexic. He can’t read right. Our press release said Godzilla in Africa. Nobody cares about Geopolitics. We are putting Ben in our Godzilla sequel and it will take place in Africa. That’s a movie audiences want to see. No more of these message pictures, if you want to send a message use Western Union.
Sweet! An action movie AND an examination of the moral ambiguities of how philanthropy and foreign assistance veer into modern day neocolonialism!
Don’t forget about the misguided “white man’s burden” which always results in imperialistic involvement in the sovereign affairs of third world countries and that is always a lot more complicated than anticipated in the planning stages by those who sit in plush D.C. think tanks. I can assure you Mr. Affleck will treat this subject matter with the seriousness and sensitivity it deserves.
Staples is awesome. Great writer and all around great guy!! Smart as fuck who does his research. Good for him! I’m psyched to see what Affleck and Staples cook up together.
Sounds a whole lot like “The Wonga Coup.”
Leave it to the snarky, empty-suited, low info posers to bitch about the possibility of a movie with action, that also involves things which can’t be described in 4th grade vocabulary or porn terminology.
Same people are posting elsewhere bitching about dumbed down blockbusters.
Warners was trying to remake THE WILD GEESE a while back, this could be what they were after.
Right! Love it, BB.
Thank you for this comment, sincerely
Is it me or does this seem like it is inspired by the incident that involved Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark in Equatorial Guinea?
Gee. I wonder if Affleck is going to question his own idiotic call for US military action in Africa. And his involvement with State Department ops who used him like a tool.
Sounds okay. Hopefully more Argo than blood diamond and doesn’t tread on tears of the sun too much.
Did Ben need the money to do Runner Runner?
Did he read the script?
Wtf?
Exactly.
It’s been done.
and you will find your enemy in the dark by following the scent of his own dung
It’s spelled ‘Gandhi’.
Ben is a good director but he always makes the mistake casting an at best mediocore, bland actor called Ben Affleck in a lead role.
P-U! The shallow-minded (to be diplomatic) are always pouring their venom on Ben – and everyone else with half a brain. What is that about? Insecurity? Jealousy? Nobody is forcing them to watch anything over their heads. I don’t get it.
I’ve read two fantastic scripts set in the Congo, so it’s about time someone is making one of them. Anyone know if this is one of the scripts that’s on the blacklist site? Or is this still to be written? Either way, i’ll pay to see it.