The Tender Bar | by George Clooney, starring Ben Affleck

[Cremildo]

After winning an Oscar together on Argo, George Clooney is now getting the opportunity to direct Ben Affleck in his next feature film. Sources tell Deadline that Affleck is in negotiations to star in Amazon Studios’ adaptation of The Tender Bar with Clooney helming. The two A-listers have been trying to work together for years, and when Clooney set this as his next directing job, Affleck was high on his list to star in the coming-of-age tale.

Clooney and his producing partner Grant Heslov would produce through their Smokehouse Pictures banner. Ted Hope also is a producer. William Monahan penned the script.

Based on the J.R. Moehringer memoir about growing up in Long Island seeking out father figures among the patrons at his uncle’s bar, the film originally was set up Sony with Ted Melfi directing. When Melfi fell off, Sony put the film into turnaround, allowing Amazon to grab it. [+]