Ben Affleck has found another job to keep him busy while he waits to start work on Man of Steel 2. The Argo director has signed on to direct and executive produce a pilot for Fox called The Middle Man.
Fox announced Friday that Affleck will work on the pilot, which was written by Glenn Gordon Caron (Medium, Moonlighting). Pearl Street Films’ Chay Carter, who has worked on all three of Affleck’s directorial efforts, will also be an executive producer on the series and Pearl Street Films is co-producing the series with Fox.
Like Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone and The Town, this will be set in Boston. However, the time is very different. Taking place in the 1960s, it focuses on FBI agent Ruby MacAteer and the Italian-American gangster Mickey Flood. Rudy is trying to take down the mob, but he has to bend the law in an effort that actually helps the mob gain strength.
The Middle Man has been in the works since 2009 when Affleck and Carter held a meeting with writers Michael Yebba (Ordinary Man) and Emilio Mauro (god Only Knows) while making The Town. The story is credited to Carter, Mauro and Yebba.
Production will start in early 2014, which means that the show could be ready for the 2014-2015 TV season, if not earlier.
Affleck is about to start work on David Fincher’s next film for Fox, Gone Girl with Rosamund Pike. He will also direct Dennis Lehane’s Live By Night for Warner Bros. and was cast as Batman in the planned 2015 sequel to Man of Steel.
Affleck’s most recent film was Argo, which won several awards, including the 2012 Oscar for Best Picture. He will also be seen in Runner Runner with Justin Timberlake.
image: NBC