Ben Affleck to Direct, Star in 'Witness for the Prosecution' for Fox

The project is based on the Agatha Christie short story.

Ben Affleck is in talks to direct and star in the adaptation of Agatha Christie's short story Witness for the Prosecution for 20th Century Fox.

Christopher Keyser will write the script, based on the story about a lawyer defending a client in a murder trial that has surprise after surprise.

Affleck will produce with Jennifer Todd and Matt Damon along with the Agatha Christie estate.

The story previously was adapted into the 1957 Billy Wilder-helmed version, which starred Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich. It received six Oscar nominations.

Fox already is working on an adaptation of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express starring Kenneth Branagh, who also is directing.

Affleck, who helmed Argo, also directed the upcoming Warner Bros. film Live by Night. He's also co-writing, with plans to direct, a Batman movie for the studio. Affleck is repped by WME.