Ben Affleck Eyes David Fincher’s ‘Gone Girl’ for Fox
Ben Affleck is in negotiations to star in David Fincher’s next film “Gone Girl” at Fox. He’s in in pre-production on his next directorial gig “Live by Night.”
The big hurdle that they have to clear now is figuring out when he would move back “Live by Night” in the production schedule since Warners wants the film to get off the ground in a timely way given the success of “Argo.” Sources say the two sides are trying to get production up and running for “Gone Girl” in the fall so Affleck could jump into directing “Live by Night” in January.
Fincher would direct the adaptation of the the Gillian Flynn novel that has sold 2 million copies.
Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea will produce through their Pacific Standard banner along with Leslie Dixon.
Flynn’s third novel, “Gone Girl” is the dark and suspenseful story of a woman who disappears on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary. It’s not known if Witherspoon would be interested in starring as the mysterious wife. Affleck would play the husband who is initially suspected of having a role in his wife’s disappearance.
A bidding war ensued last summer when the book, which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, was offered to studios, and Fox paid seven figures to outbid studios including Universal.
Affleck is repped by WME and can be seen next in the New Regency and Fox film “Runner Runner.”
Related stories
Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake Travel South of the Border in First 'Runner Runner' Trailer (Video)
UCLA Film Fest Honors Affleck, Di Bonaventura
Review: “3-View: 'To the Wonder'”
Get more from Variety.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
