Right now, the DC Extended Universe is one giant question mark — and most notably, The Batman may be the biggest question mark of all. Initially, Ben Affleck was set to write, direct, and star in the Caped Crusader film. However, last year saw him backpedaling from the responsibility, and earlier this year, we saw him leave the role of director altogether. So with Affleck free from the obligations of helming that picture, what would be another film we’d see him take on next?

It sounds like, in true Affleck form, he’s headed for a much more grounded project. The Tracking Board is reporting that the two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker is currently in talks with Sony to direct Red Platoon, a film based on the memoirs of the same name from Medal of Honor recipient Clinton Romesha.

The outlet is describing the project as follows:

“On Oct. 3, 2009, more than 300 Taliban fighters launched a predawn raid on Outpost Keating, a remote and controversial American outpost near the Afghan-Pakistani border, overrunning its perimeter defenses and breaching its wire. Staff Sgt. Romesha, a husband and father of three children, planned and led a small band of soldiers in a counterattack against seemingly insurmountable odds, saving dozens of American lives, and ultimately receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.”

Should this deal go through, it would be a huge get for Sony — as the studio has faced a lot of credibility issues over the years — and would mark Affleck’s first non-Warner Bros. directorial effort, which is a huge deal.

Affleck is reportedly also looking to cast his younger brother, Oscar-nominated actor Casey Affleck, to play Romesha. This would be the first time the duo have worked together since Ben Affleck’s first directorial effort, Gone Baby Gone. The latest draft of the screenplay has been written by Adam Cozad, but if Affleck is brought in, he’ll likely bring one of his guys in to do a rewrite or polish.

As someone who is disappointed with the fact that Affleck is distancing himself from the DCEU, this is still great news. While he would have likely made a great DC flick, I think his heart truly is in these more grounded movies — movies that deal more with human drama. While Affleck hasn’t directed a war film yet, I think his experience in the crime and espionage genres have prepped him for this one.

Most importantly, I think he’ll bring a real humanity to it. Each of Affleck’s films until now have had the potential to be very dry and boring, and his ability to focus on the characters and their personal drama is what made them all so captivating (Live by Night aside).

What do you think? Are you happy to see Affleck eyeing a war film next? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: The Tracking Board