Ben Affleck's unrealized projects

The following is a list of unproduced Ben Affleck projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American filmmaker Ben Affleck has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell, were officially canceled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.

The Trade
On February 18, 2010, Affleck was set to direct and produce Dave Mandel's screenplay The Trade, with Matt Damon, Sean Bailey, and Jennifer Todd producing and Universal Pictures set to distribute. On May 8, 2014, Jay Roach was set to direct The Trade instead of Affleck.

Tell No One
On June 15, 2011, Affleck was set to direct the film adaptation of Harlen Coben's novel Tell No One with Chris Terrio writing the screenplay, and Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy producing, with Warner Bros. set to distribute in America while Universal Pictures International would distribute the film internationally and EuropaCorp for France. On July 20, 2017, F. Scott Frazier was hired to write a new draft and Affleck was likely no longer attached.

Line of Sight
On August 23, 2011, Affleck was set to direct, produce and possibly star in F. Scott Frazier's action thriller screenplay Line of Sight, with Joel Silver, Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona producing, and Warner Bros. set to distribute. On December 19, 2012, Mouse McCoy was set to direct Line of Sight instead of Affleck.

The Middle Man TV pilot
On September 13, 2013, Affleck was set to direct the pilot episode and produce The Middle Man, a crime drama written by Glenn Gordon Caron, Michael Yebba and Emilio Mauro, with Caron also attached as the showrunner and producer with Chay Carter, and Fox giving a pilot order. On January 24, 2014, the pilot was put on pause due to Affleck's schedule for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Untitled action thriller film
On October 25, 2013, Affleck was set to direct, produce and possibly star in Will Staples' action thriller screenplay about mercenaries killing an African warlord, with Matt Damon and Jennifer Todd producing and Warner Bros. set to distribute.

Witness for the Prosecution
On August 19, 2016, Affleck was hired to direct and produce a new adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel The Witness for the Prosecution, with Christopher Keyser writing the screenplay, and Jennifer Todd, Matt Damon and Christie's estate producing, 20th Century Fox distributing.

Ghost Army
On April 23, 2019, Affleck was hired to direct, produce and star in Ghost Army, the World War II film adaptation of Rick Beyer and Elizabeth Sayles novel The Ghost Army of World War II: How One Top-Secret Unit Deceived the Enemy with Inflatable Tanks, Sound Effects, and Other Audacious Fakery, with Nic Pizzolatto writing the screenplay, Andrew Lazar and Madison Ainley producing and Universal Pictures distributing.

King Leopold's Ghost
On November 21, 2019, Affleck was hired to direct and produce the feature film adaptation of Adam Hochschild's novel King Leopold's Ghost, with Farhad Safinia writing the screenplay, Martin Scorsese, Emma Koskoff-Tillinger, Harry Belafonte, Gina Belafonte and Madison Ainley producing the film and One Community financing.

The Big Goodbye
On August 7, 2020, Affleck was set to direct, write and produce a film about the making of Chinatown based on Sam Wasson's The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood, with Lorne Michaels producing, and Paramount Pictures set to distribute.

Father Daughter Time
On May 6, 2011, Affleck was set to produce Matt Damon's directorial debut Father Daughter Time and potentially star from a spec script from Matthew Aldrich, Chris Moore and Drew Vinton producing and Warner Bros. distributing. On January 9, 2017, Gavin O'Connor set to direct instead of Damon, with Affleck still attached as a producer.

Race to the South Pole
On September 19, 2012, Affleck was set to produce Race to the South Pole along with Matt Damon and Jennifer Todd producing from a pitch by Peter Glanz, Casey Affleck was set to star and Warner Bros set to distribute.

More Time with Family TV series
On October 10, 2013, Affleck was set to produce More Time with Family, a sitcom based on Tom Papa's comedy act, with Papa writing the series with Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith, Matt Damon producing and CBS giving a pilot order. On February 14, 2014, Alyson Hannigan was cast in the series.

Untitled action adventure film
On December 16, 2013, Affleck was set to produce an action-adventure film from a screenplay written by John Krasinski and Oren Uziel, Jennifer Todd & Matt Damon producing and Warner Bros. distributing.

House of Deceit
On June 26, 2015, Affleck was set to produce the film adaptation of Ken Bensinger's novel House of Deceit with Gavin O'Connor set to direct, Anthony Tambakis writing the screenplay, Guymon Casady, Darin Friedman & Matt Damon producing and Warner Bros. distributing.

The Shadows
On October 12, 2017, Affleck was set to produce The Shadows, a film based on a New Yorker article about the first American undercover police unit, with Chris Bremner writing the screenplay, Matt Damon & Jennifer Todd producing, and Paramount Pictures was set to distribute.

I Am Still Alive
On December 19, 2018, Affleck was set to produce and star in the film adaptation of Kate Alice Marshall's novel House of Deceit with Lori Evans Taylor writing the screenplay, Pearl Street Films Madison Ainley producing and Universal Pictures distributing.

Power to the People
On November 12, 2019, Affleck was set to executive produce Power to the People, a film about The Black Panther Party founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale being investigated by the FBI, with George Tillman Jr. directing, Gregory Allen Howard writing the screenplay, Madison Ainley, Stanley Nelson, Bryan Oh, and Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni producing, and Paramount Pictures was in talks to distribute.

Arizona
On December 8, 2008, Affleck was offered to direct Arizona, a true crime biopic about the late investigative reporter Don Bolles with Sheldon Turner writing the screenplay and Miramax would distribute.

Replay
On October 19, 2010, Affleck was offered to direct and produce the feature film adaptation of Ken Grimwood's novel Replay, with Jason Smilovac writing the screenplay and Warner Bros. was set to distribute, but on October 19, 2010, Robert Zemeckis was set to direct and produce the film adaptation instead of Affleck.

Gangster Squad
On December 1, 2010, Affleck was offered to direct Will Beall's screenplay Gangster Squad, but Ruben Fleischer was hired instead.

Bunker Hill
On March 18, 2013, Affleck was offered to direct and produce the feature film adaptation of Nathaniel Philbrick's historical novel Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution, with Chris Terrio writing the screenplay and Warner Bros. set to distribute. On April 5, 2016, Aaron Stockard was set to write a new draft, while Affleck was still in talks to direct.