It looks like Alan Arkin has found his special effects man. This will make more sense in just a moment.
Variety reports that John Goodman is in negotiations to join Arkin in Ben Affleck‘s next effort behind the camera, “Argo.” The film is based on the true story about a C.I.A. plan to rescue a group of diplomats from Tehran after the 1979 Iranian revolution by claiming that they were part of a Hollywood movie crew shooting a film in the country. Arkin plays Lester Siegel, a former O.S.S. spy, now a movie producer, described as “equal parts bookie and rabbi,” who helps get the fake movie rolling. Along to help him will be Goodman playing the Oscar-winning “Planet of the Apes” makeup artist John Chambers who is brought in on the elaborate scheme.
Though the film will be lighter in tone than “The Town” or “Gone Baby Gone” — the fake movie stuff should be pretty amusing — it will also have a strong dose of realism too as Affleck plans to have the actors who will play hostages live together in a “safe house” for two weeks prior to the start of filming so they can become acquainted with what their real life counterparts went through. Intense stuff indeed. So far the casting is shaping up quite nicely and we’re eager to see who else Affleck will bring on board.
There is no exact start date just yet, but it looks like Affleck is beginning to get his pieces into place. But we’d guess this is a strong candidate for a fall 2012 release, where Warner Bros. will hope the same time frame will bring “Argo” the same smash success that “The Town” was met with.