the industry

Ben Affleck to Direct Self

Edwin Cohen’s The rain reveals the hidden names of flowers (2008).

Gone Baby Gone 2?: Ben Affleck — excuse us, “Oscar winner” Ben Affleck — is in talks to direct and star in The Town, a heist-romance for Warner Bros., from a script by Peter Craig that Affleck plans to rewrite ASAP. Story follows a love triangle between an FBI agent, a female bank manager, and a longtime thief who “stole more than her heart.” Awesome! Wait. Damn you, Hollywood Reporter, for giving us false hopes that this is an organ-harvesting romantic comedy! [HR]

Duke Kicks Ass: Clark Duke, a.k.a. Michael Cera’s partner in Clark and Michael, will appear in Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass, the ultraviolent Mark Miller comic that was too awesome for major studios to finance. Duke will play “a chubby Caucasian high school student who loves comic books.” Ah, Method acting. [/Film]

Back to Drawing Board: Keith Merryman and David A. Newman will write the Katherine Heigl action-comedy, Drawn Together. The “Katherine Heigl action-comedy,” a most implausible genre in and of itself, focuses on an electronics designer who meets the woman of his dreams, only to find out she’s not what she seemed to be. She’s something much worse, a vile hobgoblin of depravity, a serpentine succubus, a chocolate smear on the bedsheets of humanity. She’s … Katherine Heigl. [HR]

Up to Heaven in Smoke: Even though he’s busy right now with Tommy Chong on the nationwide Light It Up America/Canada tour, Cheech Marin will still find time to direct and star in the dramedy Angel of Oxnard for HighRoad Ent. Story centers on Angel Mejias (Marin), the voice of Oxnard’s Home Shopping Network, who becomes a celebrity when his face appears on a tortilla. As far as we’re concerned, the only thing more shocking than finding Cheech’s face on a tortilla is remembering he wrote Tin Cup. [Variety]

Sony’s Lineup: Sony Picture Classics has picked up Endgame’s A Chorus Line documentary, Every Little Step, a behind-the-scenes look at auditions for the Broadway revival, to be released in spring during Tony season. Doc is based on footage of show creator Michael Bennett hanging out in his apartment with the actors and dancers that formed the basis of the musical. [Variety]

Ben Affleck to Direct Self