Live By Night, the Ben Affleck-directed thriller in development over at Warner Bros., has struggled to get going in earnest no thanks to a number of scheduling compromises at the studio and within the core cast. Part and parcel of this prolonged production can be traced to Affleck’s involvement in the DC Expanded Universe, with the likes of Suicide Squad and, in particular, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice eating into any and all of the actor’s time.
However, as The Wrap reports, it was his involvement on the former DC project that has welcomed the arrival of Scott Eastwood to play Affleck’s brother in the adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s eponymous novel. Stepping into the world of organized crime, Affleck toplines the drama as Joe Coughlin, the son of a decorated police captain who flies in the face of his family name by venturing into the dark underbelly of his city. From Boston to Florida to Cuba, Live By Night is very much an international affair.
Also starring in the feature are Chris Messina, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, Elle Fanning, Max Casella and Chris Cooper, and considering that this is an adaptation of Lehane’s work – the author behind such acclaimed projects as Shutter Island and Mystic River – Warner Bros.’ new thriller on the block is one we daren’t take our eyes off.
In terms of Eastwood, he was last seen in The Longest Ride, a big-screen rendition of the titular Nicholas Sparks novel. Swapping romance for notorious vigilantes, his next outing will be in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, though his actual role in the superhero film hasn’t been disclosed. Beyond that, there’s also Oliver Stone’s delayed real-life drama, Snowden.
Live By Night is reportedly set to enter production some time this month ahead of a theatrical release on October 7, 2016.
