Ben Affleck Up for a Role in ‘Gatsby’ Adaptation?

Ben Affleck Up for a Role in ‘Gatsby’ Adaptation?

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

After delivering one of the most unexpected career revivals in history via his impressive skills as director, Ben Affleck is back in the good graces of the public, as well as those of the suits in Hollywood. While he may do a remarkably better job working behind the camera than he does in front of it—even in “The Town,” his performance wasn’t exactly riveting—he’s still looking for some weighty roles now that he’s past his “Reindeer Games” phase.

Well, according to Deadline, he may be up for a fairly significant part pretty soon. Director Baz Luhrmann is prepping another cinematic adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel “The Great Gatsby”—in 3D, because, why not—and while Affleck will likely not be taking on the role of the title character, or Nick, the narrator, he may be up for the part of Tom Buchanan, the unfaithful WASP who is married to the object of Gatsby’s affections.

While “The Great Gatsby” may prove yet again to be a difficult novel to faithfully adapt, if Luhrmann pulls it off, we might have a future Oscar contender on our hands. It is doubtful that the movie would bring any awards to Affleck—the character of Tom is slightly too shallow to demand that kind of performance—but it may at least prove that he’s still a capable actor. It’s the kind of role which he’d be fairly convincing in, whether he tries very hard or not, so this can’t hurt his career.

Quite honestly, though, we’re more interested in seeing what he is capable of as a director. That’s where he should focus his energies, because, well, that’s what he is better at. Still, he’s earned our respect again, so if he wants to give this project a try for now, we’re fine with that. Let’s see what he can do. At least it’s not “Armageddon 2.”