Ben Affleck Tapped To Direct Bunker Hill Film
The actor/director's company Pearl Street Films has reportedly acquired the film rights to Nathaniel Philbrick's new book, 'Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, a Revolution.'
Photos
A new book about the Battle of Bunker Hill could soon be a film—possibly one directed by Ben Affleck.
Warner Bros. this week closed a six-figure deal for the screen rights to Nathaniel Philbrick’s new history book, “Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, a Revolution,” deadline.com reports.
Set to release April 30, the book discusses Boston’s place in history in 1775 and promises “an in-depth look at the bloodiest battle of the Revolution and the blisteringly real origins of America,” according to the author’s website.
The book features several characters from history, including Paul Revere, George Washington, British General Thomas Gage and the man who emerges as the “on-the-ground leader of the Patriot cause,” a 33-year-old physician named Joseph Warren, according to Philbrick’s site.
Pearl Street Films, the company Affleck started in 2012 with Matt Damon, which is part of the Warner Bros. family, recently acquired rights to make a film version of Philbrick’s book. Deadline.com reports that Affleck, who is currently working on a film adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel, “Live By Night,” will turn the Bunker Hill project over to “Argo” screenwriter Chris Terrio—making this a major film project.
Affleck’s film “Argo” recently won the Oscar for best picture. Having grown up in the Boston area, Affleck has previously directed films about the city, including a film adaptation of Lehane’s “Gone Baby Gone” (2007) and “The Town” (2010), which focuses specifically on Charlestown.
john r. murphy
2:32 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Is this the very same Battle of Bunker Hill that the Massachusetts Legislature did not feel worthy enough to maintain as a holiday ? Mr. Philbrick could enlighten our legislative leaders by sending each one of them a copy of his book. These dimwits bought the whole Howie Carr nonsense of Bunker Hill Day being a " Hack Holiday" because thay do not possess the cognitive horsepower to think for themselves !
Jim Heffernan
5:07 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
John, don't you know, people only care about hallmark holidays, not ones based in history or have any real meaning. You are not going to buy someone a diamond necklace or a car on Bunker Hill Day, are you?
Being sarcastic aside, I'm excited about this prospective movie. Affleck has proven to be a very capable director.
Paul M
10:10 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Not many from the State House ever showed up for the patriotic exercises on Bunker Hill Day, so at least they are not hypocrites. Hope this turns out to be a good movie.
Owen
7:12 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Awesome. I'm actually pumped to see this happen. I think Mr. Affleck is truly coming I to his own as a film maker.
On a side note, and this is just me dreaming, perhaps if enough people see the film they'll realize that it's sacred to our national heritage, and they'll stop letting their dogs crap on the blood of patriots.
Dan
1:57 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Owen -
No American patriot is entombed on Breeds Hill. After the battle their bodies were removed and buried by their family. It is thought there might be a few British bodies as they sustained such heavy losses
"The British had taken the ground but at a great loss; they suffered 1,054 casualties (226 dead and 828 wounded)."
"The colonial losses were about 450, of whom 140 were killed."
"Only thirty men were captured by the British, most of them with grievous wounds; twenty died while held prisoner."
Here's a good link on some background of the battle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill
Joe Dingleberry
8:16 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
I sincerely hope that Bernie Kelley narrates the battle. None better than Bernie!
Owen
3:24 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Dan,
I know that there are probably no rebel remains at Bunker Hill. That wasn't my point. My point is that Bunker Hill is a symbol, and most people don't even understand its significance. I will never be ok with people using the grounds as a dog park.
Martin Kane
8:35 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
The Battle of Bunker Hill (8-2011), Screenplay by Martin Kane, story by Martin Kane and Richard D'Ovidio (The Call, starring Halle Berry, Thirteen Ghosts, Exit Wounds) registered at WGAwest. Had to take this one on the chin after years of research, a lifetime of knowledge on the subject, and writing the 118 page screenplay. My characters : Dr.Joseph Warren, General Gage and Paul Revere, just to name a few. My script is now "dead", and has been taken over by Warner Bros. who has the rights to an unreleased book. Guess who is coming back to "The Town" to direct it? You guessed it! Ben Afleck.
Please Ben, Have mercy!!!
Marty
Martin Kane
8:57 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
By the way, the corps of Dr. Joseph Warren was the first to be forensically identified by his teeth. After the Battle his friend, Paul Revere, identified him by dentures he had made for Warren
.
Ed Mckinnon
2:10 pm on Tuesday, March 26, 2013
just to clarify Martin kanes comment. For 250 years nobody thought the battle of bunker hill was worth making a big production out of. Not one movie not one tv show. Now a lifelong resident of charletown ( marty Kane ) does years of research, writes numerous drafts and rewrites with his partner D'Ovidio and after literally pouring themselves into writing a screenplay that would finally do justice to a Battle that is forgotten by most but very near and dear to the folks who grew up on this hallowed ground. Not to mention the Battle of bunkerhill is without a doubt the single moment that turned the tides towards freedom and away from tyrany. That being said , what a coincedence that Mr. Afleck is all of a sudden interested in this story just months after Mr. Kane certified his script and began shopping it around. Now im not saying that Ben Afleck stole Marty's script but it sure looks like he stole his idea and in the process killed Martys chances. By the way Affleck is hiring someone to adapt a screenplay from a book that hasnt even been written yet. Maybe affleck should call Marty !!