That Ben Affleck, eh? He directs two great films and suddenly Warner Bros. is throwing projects at him like a dutiful suitor trying to win the heart of their true love with chocolates and flowers. The latest project dropped in Affleck’s lap by the eager studio is Jason Smilovic’s new take on Ken Grimwood’s second-chance novel Replay.
If he took the job, Affleck would be directing the tale of a 43-year-old radio hack who dies, only to wake up in his 18-year-old body. But thanks to some Groundhog Day-style time loop shenanigans, he finds himself repeating his life, but with the ability to explore chances he never took the first time he lived it. If you feel like you’ve already lived the idea, then don’t be surprised – it does sound awfully similar to both Groundhog and 13 Going on 30, which starred an actress Ben knows rather well (hint: he’s married to her).
This is one project that Warners has had hanging around for ages, rarely seeming to go anywhere. It was published by Grimwood back in 1989 and was quickly bought up to be turned into a film. Cut to years later and nothing much had happened with it until **Lucky Number Slevin **writer Jason Smilovic took a crack at it more recently and found something to get actors interested.
According to Deadline, Affleck is in early talks to wield the megaphone and, much like he did with The Town, take the lead. But apparently the Replay script still needs some tinkering and Affleck is also pondering baseball wife swap scandal drama The Trade alongside the 7,000 other possible films he’s been courted for since The Town, so it'll likely be a while before we know his next gig...