Matt Damon and Ben Affleck teaming up for Whitey Bulger film
(CBS) Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are tackling an upcoming Whitey Bulger film together, 14 years after the duo made "Good Will Hunting." Damon confirmed the news in an interview with GQ.
The actor said he will star as Bulger, while Affleck will co-star and direct the film. "Boardwalk Empire's" Terence Winter will write the script.
Pictures: Matt Damon
Pictures: Ben Affleck
Bugler made headlines this past June when he was arrested in Santa Monica, Calif. He had been a fugitive for 16 years. Bugler led the Boston-based Winter Hill Gang, which controlled some of the illegal drug trade and underground gambling in the area. The 81-year-old currently faces a series of federal charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, narcotics distribution, extortion and money laundering.
The movie will cover Bulger's youth and his time behind bars in Alcatraz, and also include his life as a mob boss while serving as an FBI informant, according to Deadline.
"Matt and I have been looking for something to do together for some time," Affleck said to Deadline. "We've heard about Whitey Bulger since we were kids, and we are excited by the prospect of putting it on screen."
According to GQ, other Bulger projects currently in the works include one from producer Graham King, another from producer Brian Oliver, and another from actor Peter Facinelli, who will be producing an adaptation of the book, "Street Soldier: My Life as an Enforcer for Whitey Bulger and the Boston Irish Mob."
"There are a couple of competing movies and I don't think it's been announced yet that we're doing it," Damon said to the magazine. "But the sooner it's announced the better, just because everyone else will back off, hopefully. I'm really excited about it."
Warner Bros. Pictures president of production Greg Silverman also confirmed the news to Deadline, saying, "It's a perfect fit of story with the ideal artists to bring that story to the screen, and it's so great to be heading back to Boston with Ben and Matt."
