Ben Affleck On Board For David Fincher’s ‘Gone Girl’

If there’s one thing certain about director David Fincher, it’s that he knows how to direct adaptations. He’s made adaptations his own, like Fight Club, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Next up on his list is the adaptation of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. One name we weren’t expecting on that list until recently is Academy Award winner Ben Affleck.

In January it was announced that David Fincher would direct the adaptation with Reese Witherspoon as producer. Witherspoon bought the rights to the thriller over the summer. Now it looks like Affleck is set to star as bewildered, seemingly perfect husband Nick Dunne, who becomes the main suspect when his wife goes missing.

Although the announcement was an initial surprise, just the other day Affleck was seen having lunch with Fincher. The lunch definitely ties in with the news that Affleck will be starring in Gone Girl. In terms of his acting career Affleck is once again branching out, and tapping into uncharted territory.

Gone Girl’s synopsis is as follows:
“On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River.

Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.

Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? ”

Ben Affleck is a great choice to play Nick, who is seen for part of the book as a perfect golden boy, who is adored by many women for his classically handsome looks and affable personality. Affleck will have to show restraint and play his emotions very close to him. If handled right this could be a terrific platform for Affleck to show what he has going for him as an actor.

As far as his workload, it looks like Ben Affleck’s work schedule is pretty bloated. While Gone Girl is set to shoot in the fall, Affleck also has to direct Live By Night for Warner Bros, which is set for a 2014 release.

Do you think Ben Affleck is the perfect choice for the lead in Gone Girl?