Ben Affleck to Direct and Star in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION Remake
Ben Affleck is going to be playing Batman for years, and while I thought he did a good job bringing that character to life in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the recent DC Films output has me admittedly more interested in his directorial work. The solo Batman movie that he directs could end up being the best of the DC Extended Universe movies, but I'm also interested in his period piece crime drama Live By Night, and a new project Deadline just announced.
Affleck will direct and star in a remake of Witness For The Prosecution, an adaptation of Agatha Christie's short story and play that Billy Wilder adapted into a well-regarded film in 1957. Here's the synopsis:
When wealthy spinster Emily French is found murdered, suspicion falls on Leonard Vole, the man to whom she hastily bequeathed her riches before she died. Leonard assures the investigators that his wife, Romaine Heilger, can provide them with an alibi. However, when questioned, Romaine informs the police that Vole returned home late that night covered in blood. During the trial, Ms. French’s housekeeper, Janet, gives damning evidence against Vole, and, as Romaine’s cross-examination begins, her motives come under scrutiny from the courtroom. One question remains: will justice prevail?
Christopher Keyser will write the screenplay. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this is that Affleck is making this movie for 20th Century Fox, not his long-time home studio of Warner Bros. Hmm...interesting. There's no word about when this project will start shooting, so there's no telling whether we'll end up seeing this or The Batman hit theaters first. We'll keep you posted.