Ben Affleck To Direct Adaptation Of ‘King Leopold’s Ghost’

Ben Affleck is ready to get back into the director’s chair. The actor-turned-director will be adapting “King Leopold’s Ghost,” which is based on King Leopold II’s conquest of the Congo, as his next directorial feature.

Deadline first reported that Affleck would be directing the film based on the script by “Apocalypto” screenwriter Farhad Safinia. The story is based on Adam Hochschild’s 1998 book “King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa.”

The film takes place during a time when Leopold made billions through ownership of the Congo Free State while putting in an army to ruthlessly raid rubber and ivory. The King of Belgium would force the locals to harvest them and give them gruesome punishments if they didn’t abide. The book revealed that about 8 million were killed during this merciless search. The movie, Deadline reports, "is an account of the Congolese who defied Leopold II and fought back."

Affleck's involvement with the film comes after he co-founded the Eastern Congo Initiative in 2010. The nonprofit organization works towards providing opportunities for economic and social development in Congolese communities. Reportedly, this is a film Affleck has been developing for several years due to "his personal passion for the region."

Affleck will be producing the film under his Pearl Street Films banner along with Martin Scorsese through Sikelia Productions.

A release date has not yet been announced for the feature.