By Ryan Parsons | Image property of respective holders, Variety.
Ben Affleck
Though Universal Pictures couldn't hold onto Edward Norton for State of Play, they might have already found his replacement. With the film expected to begin production early next month, they need to find somebody quick.
Ben Affleck Looking at State of Play
Universal and Working Title are looking to Ben Affleck to fill Norton's shoes. The banners can't necessarily be happy about the project, considering that both Norton and Pitt exited State of Play close to production.
While Universal threatened legal action with Pitt, Norton’s exit will have no repercussions. His problem: he had committed to follow State of Play by playing the dual leads in Leaves of Grass, an independent comedy written and to be directed by Tim Blake Nelson.
The film was supposed to enter production this November, but the loss of Pitt meant an immediate push in filming.
In the end, it will be Affleck who plays a fast-rising politician who is caught up in a murder conspiracy. Crowe will play a journalist who leads a newspaper’s investigation into the killing. He’s conflicted in that he once ran the politician’s campaigns, and he is now romancing his estranged wife.
Though losing the two lead actors definitely hurt, at least the production still has Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman onboard.
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