by Conan Simmons – August 8, 2020 – 3:28 am
Ben Affleck has signed on to write and direct a behind the scenes drama focusing on the making of the classic noir from the New Hollywood era ‘Chinatown’.
‘Chinatown’ had an Oscar winning screenplay by Robert Towne and was directed by Roman Polanski. It starred Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston.
This new film will be based on the book ‘The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood’ by Sam Wasson. It focuses on the conflicts between the studio and the filmmakers at a time when Hollywood was finalizing the transition from the Studio Era into what would become the New Hollywood Era starting in 1975 with ‘Jaws’ and 1977’s ‘Star Wars’.
Famed producer of ‘Saturday Night Live’ Lorne Michaels owns the film rights to the book and is expected to be a producer on the film. The project is set up at Paramount.