Fans of GOOD WILL HUNTING and/or DOGMA rejoice; it seems the old team of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are finally getting back together for a biopic of Boston crime boss James ‘Whitey’ Bulger. Nothing has been set in stone as of yet, but it appears Affleck will direct and Damon will star as Bulger, the notorious criminal who evaded the law successfully until his capture earlier this year.
Affleck and Damon came to prominence in an uplifting Hollywood success story; as two struggling actors, they decided the only way to get the kind of roles they wanted was to create them. Their screenplay for GOOD WILL HUNTING won an Oscar and they’ve been huge stars ever since. While Damon has gone from strength to strength as an actor, Affleck has honed his craft as a director. GONE BABY GONE and THE TOWN were both well received and led many to conclude that Affleck has more talent behind the camera than in front of it.
Whether or not the Bulger film will be another crime drama is yet to be confirmed. They have not yet announced whether the film will be a straight biopic or dramatisation, or indeed what portion of Bulger’s life it will cover. Regardless of details, though, it is nice to see a pair of pals re-grouping for another film, and with TV mastermind Terence Winter (THE SOPRANOS, BOARDWALK EMPIRE) on scripting duties, this reunion could see real results.
