Variety is reporting that Oscar winner Casey Affleck (Manchester By the Sea) has found his next project, signing on to star in Stoner, the new film from director Joe Wright (Atonement).
The film will be based on the novel of the same name by John Williams and explores “the life of William Stoner, a dirt-poor farmer turned academic, who emerges as an unlikely existential hero while making his way through the first half of the 20th Century.”
“Because the novel is so beautiful but not well-known, fans of Stoner feel like they’re in a secret club. I’m so excited that Casey, Joe and Andrew have come aboard to help expand this club’s membership,” said producer Jason Blum on Blumhouse Productions. “This quintessentially American work is being brought to the screen by a terrific international team and we’re confident their combined perspectives will add rich layers to this moving story.”
Wright’s next film, the Winston Churchill biographical drama Darkest Hour, is set for release on November 22nd 2017 in the States and on January 12th 2018 in the UK. Watch the trailer here.
