Ben Affleck is set to lead the adaptation of Kate Southwood’s 2013 novel Falling to Earth. Per Deadline, “the book is based on the 1925 Tri-State Tornado, the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. Set in Marah, IL, the plot centers on Paul Graves (Affleck), who was the only person who didn’t lose everything on the day of the storm. His family, his home and his business remained intact. A year later, he’s faced with resentment and hostility from the locals as the small town resurrects itself from tragedy.” Hillary Seitz (Eagle Eye) will adapt the novel.

This seems like an interesting story as Affleck’s character will be at the center of resentment and jealousy for something out of his control, and there’s room to explore that just as communal grief can bring people together, those who have the fortune of escaping natural disaster may find themselves cast as an outsider through no action of their own. I’ll be curious to see if this project moves forward in development, and if so, who they’ll get to direct.

Affleck is pretty much sticking with dramas these days. While his most recent movie, Triple Frontier, has some action to it, it’s really more of a survival drama. Affleck’s upcoming projects include The Way Back, which has him playing an alcoholic who is offered a coaching gig at his old alma mater, and he’s co-starring with Matt Damon in The Last Duel for Ridley Scott, a period film about a husband avenging his wife’s rape at the hands of his best friend. Although Affleck may return to some lighthearted fare (he’s got a small role in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot), for right now it looks like he’s content with more serious pictures at this point in his career.