EXCLUSIVE: Ben Affleck continues to build up his future dance card and looks to have found another possible directing job to add to his slate. Sources tell Deadline that Disney is in development on a live-action film based on the bestselling book series Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger, with Affleck attached to direct. He will also produce through his Pearl Street banner and adapt the script with Kate Gritmon. Madison Ainley will board as executive producer.
In the bestselling novel, a telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world before the wrong person finds the answer first. When 12-year-old Sophie finally discovers where her secret telepathic ability comes from, she learns she’s actually not human but is from another world that exists side-by-side with ours.
There are over 2.5 million books in print and counting in the series, with Book 8.5 Unlocked (released in November) just named a Best Young Reader Book of 2020 by Barnes & Noble. It is also a 2020 Goodreads Choice Award semifinalist and a California Gold Medal Winner.
Affleck’s recent sports drama The Way Back has earned him some of the best reviews of his career on the acting front. Warner Bros is so impressed that the studio planning to do an awards campaign for his acclaimed performance this Oscar season.
He is repped by WME. Gritmon is repped by Kaplan Perrone, Paradigm and HWHM+F. Messenger is repped by Laura Rennert/Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Joel Vanderkloot/VanderKloot Law, CAA
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.