Ben Affleck Directing, Starring in ‘Witness for the Prosecution’

[LoganGambit87]

Ben Affleck is in talks with Fox to direct and star in a remake of “Witness For The Prosecution.”

The 1957 adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story, directed by Billy Wilder, starred Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton, and was nominated for six Academy Awards.


Christopher Keyser will write the script, and Affleck will produce with Jennifer Todd, Matt Damon and the Agatha Christie estate.


Laughton played a lawyer who represents a man — played by Power — accused of murdering a rich widow who had become enamored with him and made him the main beneficiary of her will.

Affleck directed Best Picture winner “Argo” and is in post-production on “Live By Night” for Warner Bros. He’s also directing direct the standalone Batman movie for Warner Bros.

Affleck is also an exec producer on “Justice League” for Warner Bros. and stars in Gavin O’Connor’s “The Accountant,” which Warner Bros opens Oct. 14.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/ben-affleck-witness-for-the-prosecution-1201841040/

 

[Fallen Angel]

From what I remember from the original movie it was really good. And well it had to been as it got 6 Oscar nominations.

But cool to see more Agatha Christie work's getting the lovin'.

 

[dude stannis]

Affleck's directorial works haven't let me down yet. Bring it on.

 

[AnneFan]

Believe in the Fleck.

 

[weezerspider]

Aaaaaand so long to Batfleck directing a Batman film.

 

[terry78]

He'll still do it, I think Batman is his top priority now, but this is in the pipeline.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Aaaaaand so long to Batfleck directing a Batman film.

Batman is his next movie. He's getting done on Post production for Live By Night and shooting JL.

 

[scarlet-witch]

I've never seen the original, but Affleck is a great director. I'm all for it.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Sounds like a great match.

 

[weezerspider]

Batman is his next movie. He's getting done on Post production for Live By Night and shooting JL.

Are we sure? Last we heard, he still wasn't satisfied with the script. He could easily do this first while Batman developes to his liking, but WB is probably not that patient.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Ben directing a film for another studio (Fox, not WB) caught my attention...

 

[Fallen Angel]

Are we sure? Last we heard, he still wasn't satisfied with the script. He could easily do this first while Batman developes to his liking, but WB is probably not that patient.

That was/is the plan. And he's the one writing the script along with Geoff Johns too.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Ben directing a film for another studio (Fox, not WB) caught my attention...

Even their golden boy Chris Nolan worked with a different studio. Interstellar was set up at Paramount and WB just had a hand in the International distribution.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Even their golden boy Chris Nolan worked with a different studio. Interstellar was set up at Paramount and WB just had a hand in the International distribution.

That was a different situation though. Interstellar was originally a Spielberg vehicle that had already been in development at Paramount for years. Nolan had nothing to do with Paramount's involvement.

Nolan's home studio (WB) even went as far as giving up rights to several of their films (Friday the 13th, etc.), just to be involved with Interstellar, even thought they didn't have to.

Again, this could be nothing but seeing Affleck directing a film for the competition, (after a streak of films at WB) did catch my attention...

 

[Pickleweasel]

Ben directing a film for another studio (Fox, not WB) caught my attention...

WB doesn't own the rights to everything...

 

[BatLobster]

I do have a feeling this will come before the solo Bat-film. I think it's going to continually bounce between DC projects and his other films. BvS, then Live by Night, then JL, then directing Witness for the Prosecution, then probably the solo Bat-film.

My guess is you're looking at 2020, 2019 the earliest for the Batman movie. I'd be pretty surprised if it came in 2018.

 

[LoganGambit87]

even tho ben is a good actor i liked him in argo,the town,gone girl and BVS but i kinda want to see him direct a film without starring like he did with gone baby gone

 

[Serpico Jones]

Batman is his next movie. He's getting done on Post production for Live By Night and shooting JL.

He does not have a signed contract to direct Batman. It's in development but there's no green light yet. This movie should will likely come before Batman.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Did he direct anything he didn't have a starring role in?

Affleck's directorial works haven't let me down yet. Bring it on.

What this dude said.

 

[LoganGambit87]

He does not have a signed contract to direct Batman. It's in development but there's no green light yet. This movie should will likely come before Batman.

what makes you say that this film just got announced for example ben affleck signed on for live by night in 2012 and it didn't start shooting till 2015

baman solo is way ahead this film to get off the ground and start shooting

 

[BatLobster]

I think it could go either way, but to me it looks like Ben really want to take his time to make sure he's 100% happy with that Batman script and I could see him pushing it off for as long as possible.

 

[Boom]

The article says he's "in talks." The article also indicates that the script hasn't been written yet, as it mentions them hiring a screenwriter.

Batman at the very least has a completed draft, and if Mark Hughes is to be believed, Affleck is all-in on Batman.

If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but I'd say this movie is after Batman. We'll see.

 

[dude stannis]

Did he direct anything he didn't have a starring role in?

Yes, in Gone Baby, Gone, which is a bloody fantastic film.

As for his Batman movie, he still has to shoot Justice League 2 in 2018 (Assuming that's still on schedule) before doing is own one.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Yes, in Gone Baby, Gone, which is a bloody fantastic film.

Thanks dude.

 

[Kyle]

Affleck's a fanboy, of course he's doing Batman. Plus, WB will do anything to keep him around because his performance was one of the elements that avoided mixed word of mouth in both BvS and SS. With SS solidifying him as Batman. Basically, they need him. So with Affleck loving comics and WB wanting to keep what works, he's here to stay.