Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake to Star in Runner, Runner

“Rounders” writers David Levien and Brian Koppelmann are working on the script for “Runner, Runner”. Shooting may start as early as this summer.

Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck

Sources from Hollywood, including the Variety and the Hollywood Reporter report that a new poker production is underway. The project is running under the working title “Runner, Runner” and is written by “Rounders” writers David Levien and Brian Koppelmann. In the director’s seat sits Brad Furman, to whom we can owe the critically acclaimed title “The Lincoln Lawyer”.

“Runner, Runner”, unlike the iconic movie “Rounders”, will not focus on live high stakes games but on online poker and the world of offshore companies behind the biggest rooms. What is more, it is rumoured that Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck can star in the main roles; it would seem that Timberlake has already signed his contract and Affleck is just about to do so.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s and Jennifer Davisson Killoran’s Appian Way as well as Double Feature Films may produce the movie while 20th Century Fox has joined in as distributor. Shooting is planned to start as early as this summer in Puerto Rico.

In 1998’s cult production “Rounders”, Affleck’s close friend Matt Damon starred as the protagonist and the movie inspired many to start playing poker. However, no poker film has been able to generate such an effect ever since. “Rounders 2” had also been being planned for a long time, although Miramax has recently announced that production will not start until at least 2014.