Tag: Ben Affleck

Posted on in Film News, News

‘Hypnotic’: Robert Rodriguez Calls Next Film Starring Ben Affleck “A Hitchcock Thriller On Steroids” & Started Writing It In 2002

After tackling effects heavy projects like James Cameron’s Alita: Battle Angel and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars series The Mandalorian/The Book of Boba Fett, director Robert Rodriguez is set to direct Ben Affleck (The Accountant, The Town) and Alice Braga (Predators, Queen of The South, City of God) in a new crime thriller called Hypnotic.

A detective (Affleck) becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program while investigating a string of high-end crimes.

Speaking with Collider, Robert Rodriguez has revealed that filming on Hypnotic begins in six weeks (in Austin, Texas) and has been working on the project for nearly 20 years, starting the script back in 2002. Also, comparing to the thriller to an amped-up version of a Hitchcock film, which is certainly a way to get naysayers on board to the idea of Rodriguez making something less cartoony.

“It’s like a Hitchcock thriller on steroids. That’s all I can say. As soon as you see the first trailer, you’ll go ‘I got it. I’m there.’ It’s that kind of a movie. A lot of twists, a lot of turns. Very exciting. It’s a not everything you see is real-type movie and it’s got a great cast. It’ll be very energetic. It’s one of my favorite stories. I started writing it back in 2002. So it’s one of the ones I’ve had the longest that I’ve been wanting to do. I’m very excited that we finally might be making it.”

It’ll be interesting to see him tackle something a little more grounded and mature, while an action movie, Desperado is oddly enough one of his less silly/grounded pictures. He sort of went overboard with kiddie flicks, CGI experiments, and wacky exploitation projects over the last couple of decades. So, seeing Rodriguez make something more for adult viewers and not teenage boys or kids will be fun to see come together.

He’s already wrapped on The Book of Boba Fett, his Star Wars spinoff series that will debut on Disney+ in December. We’re hearing there is a good shot that Rodriguez is returning to direct an episode of The Mandalorian for Season 3 as well.

Hypnotic is expected to see the filmmaker reunite with veteran stunt coordinator Jeff Dashnaw, who has a wave of action film credits under his belt like Once Upon A Time In Mexico, Sin City, Planet Terror, Death Proof, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Predators, A Good Day To Die Hard, Machete Kills, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, The Magnificent Seven, and The Equalizer 2.

At one point, Rodriguez was hired by 20th Century Studios (prior to the merger) to remake John Carpenter’s Escape From New York, but remains to be seen if that will ever happen. Interestingly enough, The Book of Boba Fett features work from Escape From New York cinematographer Dean Cundey, who worked with Carpenter on a wave of his films such as Big Trouble In Little China, The Thing, The Fog, and Halloween.

SOURCE: COLLIDER

Posted on in Film News, Trailers

TRAILER: Adam Driver & Matt Damon Are Knights Fighting To The Death In ‘The Last Duel’

Director Ridley Scott is back with another period action drama after previously releasing Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Exodus: Gods & Kings, and Robin Hood. 20th Century Studios has dropped the first trailer for The Last Duel, which is based on a historical event.

The cast consists of Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Harriet Walter, Marton Csokas, Ben Affleck, Nathaniel Parker, Sam Hazeldine, and Michael McElhatton.

THE LAST DUEL – In 14th century France, Norman knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) accuses squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) of raping his wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer). He takes the claim to King Charles VI, who declares that the two men must duel to the death. Based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager with a script written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Nicole Holofcener.

The Last Duel hits theaters exclusively on October 15.

SOURCE: 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Posted on in Film News

‘Predators’ Actress Alice Braga Joins Ben Affleck In Action Thriller ‘Hypnotic’ Directed By Robert Rodriguez – Shoots This September In Austin

Director Robert Rodriguez is in high demand these days after helming Alita: Battle Angel for James Cameron, then jumping into the world of Star Wars with Season 2 of The Mandalorian and then being behind the Boba Fett spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett for Lucasfilm.

His next big project is an action thriller, titled Hypnotic, that stars Ben Affleck as a “detective who becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program while investigating a string of high-end crimes.”

Deadline has a casting update mentioning that Brazilian actress Alice Braga has taken a role in the film. Braga has a connection to Rodriguez as she had a lead role in Predators, the third film in the Predator franchise was developed and produced by the filmmaker. Her other credits include I Am Legend, Repo Men, New Mutants, Queen of The South, and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

They also state that production will begin again on September 20 in Austin, Texas, where Robert’s own studio facility, Troublemaker Studios, is located.

Affleck is currently working on The Flash, reprising his Batman/Bruce Wayne role alongside fellow Caped Crusader alumni Michael Keaton. He also wrapped work on the George Clooney-directed drama The Tender Bar.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Ben Affleck’s Unmade ‘Batman’ Movie Would Have Featured Batgirl According To Deathstroke Actor Joe Manganiello

The unmade Batman film starring, co-written, and directed by Ben Affleck sounded sort of interesting. There had been previous talk that Arkham Asylum would have been a featured location with Joe Manganiello’s Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke being set up as the film’s big bad.

Manganiello dished a few more details to Comic Book’s podcast Phase Zero (spotted by The Playlist), where he name dropped Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl needing to get involved as Batman couldn’t handle Deathstroke on his own. Adding that Wilson would be more of a horror character citing Steven Spielberg’s shark movie Jaws.

MANGANIELLO: “There was like a big huge showdown, I think between Batgirl…Batgirl jumps in to try and help Bruce because Deathstroke is so fast. He can anticipate Bruce’s movements. That leads to this big climactic battle through the streets of Gotham in the end. It’s like a real-life psychological thriller with Deathstroke. He was like a horror movie, like a shark, kind of like Jaws.”

We’ll likely never see this ever fully realized but it’s certainly interesting tidbits of information none-the-less. Affleck is said to be appearing one more time as Batman in The Flash movie and might be his last time in the role.

Matt Reeves is busy with his own Batman trilogy starring Robert Pattinson and it was revealed by DC Films that it takes place within the cinematic universe’s version of Earth 2. This allowing the studio to populate new/rebooted versions of DC Comics heroes in that world starting with The Batman.

SOURCE: PHASE ZERO/COMIC BOOK

Posted on in Film News

‘The Flash’: Michael Keaton Says He’s Unsure About Appearance As Batman

We’ve all been excited after there was a report about Batman actor Michael Keaton reprising the DC Comics role in The Flash movie directed by Andy Muschietti. It was even more interesting when a piece of concept art from the film confirmed they planned on having both Keaton and Ben Affleck’s Batman in the event project that would introduce DC’s own Multiverse.

The only catch is that according to Michael Keaton, he hasn’t agreed to be in the film. Keaton did a lengthy interview with Deadline and the subject of The Flash was brought up. He was quick to point out that he hasn’t even read the script they sent along with the potential that his current project, upcoming projects, and the COVID-19 situation in the United Kingdom could prevent him to even doing it.

KEATON: “…to tell you the truth, somewhere on my iPad is an iteration of the whole Flash thing that I haven’t had time yet…I called them and said, I have to be honest with you. I can’t look at anything right now. I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing. Also, I’m prepping a thing I’m producing and getting ready to do down the road in the fall that I’ll be in, and I feel responsible to that. So, yeah, there is that. I’m not being cute or coy. If I talked about it, I’ll be just bullshitting you. I don’t really know. I have to look at the last draft. To be honest with you, you know what worries me more than anything about all this stuff?”

“It’s Covid. I’m more concerned. I keep my eye more on the Covid situation in the UK than anything. That will determine everything, and so that’s why I’m living outside the city here on 17 acres, staying away from everybody, because the Covid thing has got me really concerned. So, that’s my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn’t, then we talk.”

Despite the possibility they might be losing Keaton, there will be the introduction of the DCEU’s Supergirl as played by actress Sasha Calle. We’ll keep our fingers crossed we’ll end up getting multiple Batman in The Flash, but it’s not looking like that is going to happen but I wouldn’t be shocked if there are more surprises yet to be announced.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

‘The Flash’ Movie Taps Sasha Calle To Play Supergirl

The Flash movie is getting more superhero help as Deadline reports that actress Sash Calle has been cast in the role of Supergirl. The newcomer was selected over 400 potential candidates but impressed the studio and director Andy Muschietti.

A new Supergirl solo film had been in development stages at Warner Bros. before her addition to the Flash project, we have to assume that Sasha will likely lead that project if things finally come together on it. Screenwriter Oren Uziel (Mortal Kombat, 22 Jump Street, The Cloverfield Paradox) had been previously hired to write a script for Supergirl before development on the solo project froze.

The latest incarnation of Flash’s script was penned by Christina Hodson and will open the DCEU to their own Multiverse via Barry’s speed-force powers, taking cues from the Flashpoint story. There are already two Batman actors expected to appear with Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck teased in official concept art released over the summer.

The Flash will be shooting at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford, England with a release date set by Warner Bros. for November 4th, 2022.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

George Clooney Adds ‘The Midnight Sky’ Cinematographer For His Long Island Drama ‘The Tender Bar’ Starring Ben Affleck

The Ronin can confirm that director George Clooney will be reuniting with cinematographer Martin Ruhe for his Amazon drama The Tender Bar. Martin and George previously worked together on Netflix’s The Midnight Sky and the WWII satirical series Catch-22 for Hulu.

Ruhe’s other credits include Control, The American, and Harry Brown.

A recent Deadline report revealed that Ben Affleck is in negotiations to take a lead role.

The Departed screenwriter William Monahan worked on the drama’s script which is based on the J.R. Moehringer memoir and that will focus on J.R’s experiences growing up in Long Island and seeking out father figures at his uncle’s bar.

Ben Affleck’s recent projects include the erotic thriller Deep Water, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, and leading Robert Rodriguez’s crime thriller Hypnotic. The latter will see Affleck playing a detective that becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program, while investigating a string of impossible high-end heists. He also signed-up to direct Keeper of The Lost Cities for Disney and had been attached to direct the WWII film Ghost Army.

Posted on in Film News

Former ‘Daredevil’ Actor Ben Affleck Praises Marvel’s Kevin Feige Calling Him “The Greatest Producer”

Before Ben Affleck wore the cowl in Batman v Superman and Justice League, he starred in a Marvel project with 20th Century Fox’s Daredevil feature film which predated the fan-beloved Netflix series starring Charlie Cox. That 2003 film saw Ben Affleck co-star with Jon Favreau, the director of Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Jon became one of the architects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and still plays the role of Happy Hogan in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy.

As a filmmaker and producer, Ben most certainly was watching the success of Marvel Studios, which has led to some praise to Kevin Feige in a new interview. While chatting on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast Awards Chatter, Affleck gushed about how successful Feige has been.

AFFLECK: “Fucking Kevin Feige is absolutely, you have to say, the greatest producer, most successful producer who ever lived. He’s the only guy in the world who, if he told me, ‘I know what the audience wants! This is what we’re doing!’ I would believe him 100%.”

“That fucker knows his audience like no producer (ever), he’s a genius. Kevin is like a ringmaster at the circus; he knows exactly how much to wink at the audience, exactly when to pull at the heartstrings, exactly when to do the effects, how many jokes, what the sensibility, what the tone is. Because people didn’t know to run away from the pajamas or embrace it or make it serious.”

Affleck is reportedly set to direct a film Disney with an adaptation Keeper of The Lost Cities and his pal Matt Damon has seemingly joined the cast of Marvel’s Thor: Love & Thunder.

I’m sure fans would enjoy to see Ben Affleck join the MCU in some capacity.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Film News

Disney Taps Ben Affleck To Direct ‘Keeper of The Lost Cities’

Ben Affleck has seemingly secured yet another directing project.

Deadline reports he’ll be adapting the novel Keeper of The Lost Cities written by Shannon Messenger for Disney as it’s director, producer, and co-writer with screenwriter Kate Gritmon.

A telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world before the wrong person finds the answer first. When 12-year-old Sophie finally discovers where her secret telepathic ability comes from, she learns she’s actually not human but is from another world that exists side-by-side with ours.

Affleck has been a busy bee lately working on his erotic thriller Deep Water co-starring with now girlfriend Ana de Armas along with a small role in Ridley Scott‘s period drama The Last Duel and leading the crime thriller titled Hypnotic directed by Robert Rodriguez at Solstice Studios. There was talk of a sequel to The Accountant in the works but hasn’t fully materialized.

He is also attached to direct a WWII film titled Ghost Army for Universal Pictures with a script penned by True Detective‘s Nic Pizzolatto.

The film tells the true story of a squadron of recruits from art schools, ad agencies and other creative businesses who were tasked with fooling the Nazis into thinking the U.S. had larger troop numbers than it actually did. 

It’s unclear when they expect to begin shooting the Disney film or if he’ll make Ghost Army for Universal beforehand.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

‘The Flash’: Ray Fisher’s Cyborg Cameo Reportedly Written Out – Role Won’t Be Recast

It’s starting to look like Ray Fisher and his character Cyborg won’t be appearing in The Flash after all.

The Wrap is supporting a tweet from Forbes writer Mark Hughes that Cyborg’s cameo in the film has been removed and they will not be recasting the part. This news would debunk unreliable online rumors that the studio and director was recasting the Cyborg role specifically for The Flash.

Justice League actor Ray Fisher, who was offered a cameo role last June to appear as Cyborg in The Flash solo movie, has been written out of the screenplay and will not be recast, according to insiders with knowledge of the situation.

However, we aren’t terribly shocked by this news as the Justice League actor seemed to telegraph this update on his character. Ray Fisher made the following statement on Twitter last month signaling he wouldn’t be working with DC Films or Walter Hamada in the future, possibly getting ahead of the reports of his cameo being nixed by the studio. Essentially announcing his exit from the franchise.

DC Films had previously announced a solo Cyborg movie that never materialized as neither a screenwriter or director were ever announced as developing it. The character is also being used in the live-action realm with the series Doom Patrol, played by Jovian Wade.

Andy Muschietti (IT, Mama) is directing from a script penned by Christina Hodson (Batgirl, Birds of Prey) with a cast said to include Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton using a different version of The Flashpoint storyline that will usher-in DC Comics’ own Multiverse.

Filming on The Flash is expected to begin this April at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios in Watford, England. The facility is currently being used for Fantastic Beasts 3 as it’s been the homestead production stages for the Harry Potter franchise and was used for previous DC Comics movies such as The Batman, Justice League, and Wonder Woman.

It’s release date has been set for November 4th, 2022.

SOURCE: THE WRAP