Mark Romanek in talks to direct Boston Strangler movie

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/09/mark-romanek-boston-strangler-movie-casey-affleck

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The director of Never Let Me Go and One Hour Photo, Mark Romanek, is in talks to take charge of a new film about the Boston Strangler which is set to star Casey Affleck, Variety reports.

Already the source of a 1968 film, which was criticised at the time as an example of exploitation, the case of the strangler remains one of the most terrifying in the history of American serial killers. The deaths of 13 women aged between 19 and 65 over a two-year period from June 1962 to January 1964 were attributed to the killer, with each victim sexually assaulted before being strangled with articles of clothing.

Serial rapist Albert DeSalvo, played by Tony Curtis in 1968's The Boston Strangler, admitted to the murderers but was jailed on separate charges due to lack of physical evidence. Richard Fleischer's film, which also starred Henry Fonda as case detective John S Bottomly, was praised by contemporary reviewers for its invention but criticised for the film-makers' decision to take on the subject matter in the first place. Roger Ebert wrote: "This is essentially a work of fiction 'based' on the real events. And based on them in such a way to entertain us, which it does, but for the wrong reasons, I believe. This film, which was made so well, should not have been made at all."

Affleck signed on to play a detective investigating the case in December 2012, with the actor also named as a producer in Deadline's original report. His character is described as a member of the "Strangler Squad" – the police unit charged with tracking down the killer, who "is willing to risk career and life in a race to bring down the most notorious sexual predator of the day, while battling a political cover-up by corrupt politicians and lawyers trying to save their careers".

If Romanek agrees to direct he will be working from a screenplay by Chuck MacLean. Variety describes it as a script reminiscent of David Fincher crime projects such as Seven and Zodiac. Mention of the latter hints that the new film, to be titled Boston Strangler, could play on the uncertainty surrounding the true identity of the killer. Some experts believe that DeSalvo could not have committed all of the murders. Others say the real murderer may still be at large.