Affleck and Damon reunite for mobster biopic

Warner Bros. has announced today that they’ve hired Ben Affleck to direct and star in a biopic about Whitey Bulger, the notorious head of Boston’s Winter Hill Gang. It’s a timely move, as the mobster was only recently arrested at the age of 81 after being on the lam for 16 years.

Bulger was famous throughout his town for his apparent good deeds to the community while also committing an alleged 19 murders, as well as apparently engaging in illegal gambling and racketeering operations. In the ’70s he became an informant for the feds and ratted on the Mafia for years and years and was allowed to run his business fairly free as a benefit. Many public officials had workings with this guy and were shamed when it came to light that he was under their protection.

In December 1994 Bulger received a tip that he was about to be indicted under the RICO act and fled Boston, ending up on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List at the #2 spot, right under Osama Bin Laden. He was finally arrested on June 22nd, 2011 in Santa Monica. It’s a great story, to say the least- you can (and should) read up more on this character here.

Matt Damon will star as Bulger, which is an interesting choice, and definitely require some age makeup if they’re going to do his whole story. Ben Affleck will co-star as will his brother Casey Affleck, and Terence Winter (creator of BOARDWALK EMPIRE) is currently writing the script.

Affleck and Damon will produce the film under their Pearl Street Films banner, making this film really their own. Affleck’s certainly been on a roll lately with all of his critically and commercially successful films (and his upcoming adaptation of THE STAND), so let’s see what they can do with this fascinating character.