With Gigli safely wiped from everyone’s memory, Ben Affleck is hotter than ever after the critical and commercial success of The Town, and Deadline reports that the Black List drama American Bullshit could be his next directing gig.
Written by Eric Warren Singer, American Bullshit is described as:
“The true story of Abscam, the FBI’s 1980 undercover sting operation of Congress to root out corruption which was the brainchild of the world’s greatest con man.”
Affleck is reportedly circling several different projects as his third directorial outing. Among them are David Mandel’s The Trade, about the 1970’s-era “wife swap” of New York Yankees pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich. The two players traded wives and families – there were earlier reports that Matt Damon would co-star and direct, but now it seems Affleck might helm it himself.
The other project Affleck is considering is the Ken Grimwood novel Replay, adapted by Jason Smilovic. Replay is about a radio journalist who wakes up in his 18-year-old body after dying at 43. He then relives his life again and again. Matt Damon is also involved in this one, as he and Affleck have a first-look deal at Warner Bros., where The Trade is also set up.
These all sound like interesting projects for Affleck. The Town was completely shut out of the Golden Globes (ditto the wonderful True Grit – the foreign press apparently doesn’t dig Westerns or Boston-set crime dramas. Their loss) but is one of the best films of 2010. I’ll see anything he directs, but I like The Trade – he and Damon as wife-swapping Yankees? I’m there.
Which of these projects would you like Affleck to take on? Did you like The Town?