Ben Affleck to Direct Mob Drama Pilot for Fox

FOX Broadcasting Company (FOX) has given a pilot production commitment to The Middle MAN, a new drama produced by FOX and Pearl Street Films, and executive-produced by Academy Award winner Ben Affleck ("Argo," "The Town") and Emmy Award nominee Glenn Gordon Caron ("Medium," "Moonlighting"), who wrote the pilot script. Affleck ("Argo," "The Town," "Gone Baby Gone") is attached to direct the pilot. Pearl Street Films' Chay Carter ("Argo," "The Town," "Gone Baby Gone") will also serve as an executive producer on the project. Production is scheduled to begin in early 2014.

Set in 1960s Boston, The Middle MAN explores the unique relationship between RUDY MacATEER, an FBI agent charged with taking down the Italian-American mafia, and his confidential informant, Irish-American gangster MICKEY FLOOD. As Rudy finds himself forced to bend the laws he pledged to enforce, the duo's actions inadvertently give rise to the Irish-American mob in this timeless Boston crime saga.

The project dates back to 2009, when Carter and Affleck met actor and screenwriter Michael Yebba ("Ordinary Man") and screenwriter Emilio Mauro ("God Only Knows") during production of "The Town." The current script is based on a story developed by Caron, Yebba and Mauro.

Ben Affleck is a two-time Academy Award winner who has been recognized for his work as a director, actor, writer and producer. Affleck most recently directed, produced and starred in the Academy Award-winning film for Best Motion Picture, "Argo," a fact-based drama about the then-classified mission to rescue six Americans trapped in Iran during the hostage crisis. Affleck made his directorial debut in 2007 with the feature "Gone Baby Gone," for which he also co-wrote the screenplay. In 2010, Affleck directed, co-wrote and starred in "The Town." The film was named among the top 10 films of the year by the AFI, and the cast won the National Board of Review Award for Best Ensemble. Affleck's upcoming projects include starring in David Fincher's "Gone Girl," as well as Zachary Snyder's "Batman vs. Superman." He also will star in and direct "Live by Night," based on the Dennis Lehane novel, and is developing a biopic about notorious mobster Whitey Bulger, in which he and Matt Damon will star. Affleck first came to prominence in 1997 with the acclaimed drama "Good Will Hunting," which he starred in and co-wrote with Damon. The two won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, as well as a Golden Globe Award and Humanitas Prize.

Glenn Gordon Caron created the groundbreaking television series "Moonlighting," which garnered 42 Emmy Award nominations, nine Golden Globe Award nominations, six Writers Guild of America (WGA) Award nominations and four Directors Guild of America Award nominations. Caron received the WGA Award for writing the series. In 1988, Caron made his feature directorial debut with "Clean and Sober." He also helmed the features "Wilder Napalm," a remake of "Love Affair" and the hit romantic comedy "Picture Perfect," which he also co-wrote. He returned to television with the offbeat "Now and Again," a genre-bending science-fiction drama/comedy/romance. In 2005, Caron returned to television one more time with "Medium," for which he wrote and directed the pilot episode. The series ran seven seasons on two different networks.

Among Pearl Street's upcoming projects is "Live By Night," Affleck's next feature directing vehicle. Other projects include the historical adventure "Race to the South Pole," about the 1911 competition between explorers Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott to be the first to reach the forbidding southern tip of the globe, in which Casey Affleck will star as Scott; and "Whitey," a biopic about infamous Boston mobster Whitey Bulger, to star Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck.

The Middle MAN is produced by FOX and Pearl Street Films. The pilot is written by Glenn Gordon Caron. Ben Affleck, Caron and Chay Carter will serve as executive producers. Michael Yebba and Emilio Mauro are co-executive producers. Affleck is attached to direct the pilot.

Photo Credit: Stewart Cook/Everett Collection/Picture Perfect - Rex USA

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