Update: Deadline reports Camilla Belle is the director’s favorite to play Eve.
Like his “I’m Still Here” here star Joaquin Phoenix, actor/writer/director Casey Affleck has been somewhat M.I.A. since the release of that film, being linked to a couple of projects here and there (“The Trade,” “The F Word“) but with little movement. But, also like his mockumentary conterpart, he’s getting ready to return to the big screen and he’s doing it in some unlikely projects. The usually indie-minded thesp will appear later this year in the Brett Ratner comedy “Tower Heist” (words we never thought we’d type) and now it looks like he’s lining up the first tentpole project of his career.
Once the appropriate letters are dotted and crossed, Variety reports that Affleck will join Bradley Cooper, Benjamin Walker and Djimon Honsou in Alex Proyas‘ “Paradise Lost.” The big-budget, special effects driven tentpole flick, will bring to life Milton’s masterpiece on the big screen, focusing on the epic battle between Michael (Walker) and Lucifer (Cooper). Honsou plays Abdiel, the angel of death, while Affleck will get in touch with his heavenly side as Gabriel, God’s six-winged messenger and angel. Uh, okay. We have to admit, that seems like either the most inspired and/or worst casting we’ve ever heard, but the lineup for actors for this project is intriguing if nothing else. And after playing a variety of morally complex and dubious characters, this seems like a definitely change of pace for Affleck though we’re sure he’ll throw an angelic punch or two on God’s behalf at some point in the movie.
The massive production will take place in Australia and the extensive digital effects will mean the film will spend twenty weeks in pre-production, eight weeks in principal photography and will have 72 weeks of post-production. So yeah, you won’t be seeing this one in your local multiplex until the tail end of 2013.