A live-action take on Shannon Messenger's best-selling series of fantasy fiction novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities, is in development at Disney, and Ben Affleck (The Town, Argo) is attached to helm the movie.
The one-time The Batman director has been focusing more on his acting career of late, earning rave reviews for his performance in last year's The Way Back. It was only a matter of time before he stepped back behind the camera, though, and he is said to be keen to try his hand at something different for his next project.
Affleck will also produce through his Pearl Street banner, and adapt the script with Kate Gritmon. Madison Ainley is on board as executive producer.
The books tell the story of "a telepathic girl who 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."
Affleck has tended to focus on gritty crime dramas in the past, so taking the helm of a family-friendly Disney adventure would certainly be a departure for the talented filmmaker. He also has war drama Ghost Army and an adaptation of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution on his schedule, so it sounds like he's going to be kept busy for a while.
We will next see Affleck back in the cape and cowl as the Dark Knight in HBO Max's Justice League Director's Cut this March.