Ben Affleck's Busy Schedule Brings FOX Pilot 'The Middle Man' to a Halt

The 'Gone Girl' star, who was set to direct the drama pilot, has dropped out of the project due to scheduling issues with the Batman vs. Superman movie.

Ben Affleck isn't going to make his TV directing debut anytime soon. The Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning screenwriter has pulled out from the directing duty for FOX's pilot "The Middle Man".

According to Deadline, the 41-year-old actor/director bailed out due to a scheduling conflict with Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel 2", in which he's going to play Batman. He reportedly also has other film commitments in the spring, when "The Middle Man" pilot is scheduled to shoot.

His unavailability has now put the TV project on hold. FOX's execs are said considering two options, hiring a new helmer and continuing with casting and shooting the pilot after a short break or waiting until after Affleck completes filming the Batman vs. Superman movie in the summer.

Affleck is still on board to serve as executive producer on "Middle Man" alongside Chay Carter. The crime drama series is set in the 1960s' Boston and explores the unique relationship between Rudy MacAteer, an FBI agent charged with taking down the Italian-American mafia, and his confidential informant, Irish-American gangster Mickey Flood. MacAteer's efforts inadvertently give rise to the Irish mob, as he finds himself bending the laws he is governed by.