(Cover) - EN Movies - Ben Affleck will reportedly not only direct, but also star in his next movie project Argo.

After casting Alan Arkin and John Goodman in supporting roles, the actor-and-filmmaker has apparently decided he will take on the lead role.

Affleck will play Tony Mendez, a CIA exfiltration expert who created a fake Hollywood production to save six American diplomats hiding out at the Canadian embassy in Iran during the occupation of the American embassy in 1979.

Arkin and Goodman are in final negotiations to portray producer Lester Siegel and Oscar-winning make-up artist John Chambers, respectively.

The script, written by John Terrio, is based on an a Wired article titled How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran and won a place on the 2010 Black List of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays before it was picked up by Affleck.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov will produce the movie through their company Smokehouse.

Argo is expected to be released in late 2012. (C) Cover Media