Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Will Re-Team for Whitey Bulger Movie

Back in that long-forgotten year of 1997, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were the bestest of beffies. The adorable scamps -- and lifelong friends -- co-wrote 'Good Will Hunting' together, co-starred in the film and won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Since then they've obviously remained close, but never really collaborated again (though they did appear together in 'Dogma' and 'Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back' for Kevin Smith). It was rumored that Matt and Ben would re-team for 'The Trade,' about a pair of real-life wife-swapping NY Yankees from the '70s, but with that having hit some legal snags, the pals have focused on a new project: the life and arrest of Whitey Bulger. "We're doing a Whitey Bulger movie," Damon told GQ about the infamous South Boston mob boss who had been on the lam for 16 years before his arrest in California over the summer. "Warner's got it for us." That would be Warner Bros., which is a studio where Affleck has planted his flag as a director. He's already done 'Gone Baby Gone' and 'The Town' for the studio and has 'Argo' coming next fall; he was even tapped by Warner Bros. executives as their choice to direct 'The Stand.' Affleck will handle filmmaking duties on the Bulger project, with Damon starring and 'Boardwalk Empire' creator Terence Winter writing the script. "There are a couple of competing movies and I don't think it's been announced yet that we're doing it," Damon said. "But the sooner it's announced the better, just because everyone else will back off, hopefully. I'm really excited about it." Damon has some familiarity with the Bulger story; Jack Nicholson's character in 'The Departed' -- which co-starred the former Will Hunting -- was partially inspired by the gangster. Per Deadline, he'll actually play Bulger, while Affleck's brother Casey will have a role in the film as well. "We've heard about Whitey Bulger since we were kids, and we are excited by the prospect of putting it on screen," said Affleck. [via GQ] [Photo: WireImage] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED