Even though ARGO won Best Picture at the Academy Awards and Ben Affleck cleaned up every Best Director award this past awards season, I still don’t think he gets enough credit for how great a director he is. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I recently went and re-watched GONE BABY GONE and THE TOWN and I’m even more impressed with them on second and third viewings. Ben Affleck knows how to direct and he has a great understanding of stories and characters, meaning that I’ll watch anything the guy does. So whenever there’s a tidbit about a possible next project for him to direct, I consider it exciting news.
You can now add the adaptation of Nathaniel Philbrick’s upcoming book “Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution” to the list of Affleck’s possible next projects. The abbreviated synopsis from Amazon describes the American Revolution tale: “Boston in 1775 is an island city occupied by British troops after a series of incendiary incidents by patriots who range from sober citizens to thuggish vigilantes. After the Boston Tea Party, British and American soldiers and Massachusetts residents have warily maneuvered around each other until April 19, when violence finally erupts at Lexington and Concord. In June, however, with the city cut off from supplies by a British blockade and Patriot militia poised in siege, skirmishes give way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It would be the bloodiest battle of the Revolution to come, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.”
Sounds like interesting material to me. But so far, Ben Affleck has this, along with LIVE BY NIGHT (which is believed to be his next film), THE TRADE, THE STAND, a remake of TELL NO ONE and the delayed Whitey Bulgar biopic. So who knows when we’ll get around to seeing BUNKER HILL on the big screen, but hopefully Ben Affleck will eventually get around to it. (Deadline)