Nearly a year ago we got the news that Tom Cruise was circling a new film from writer Dan Fogelman, whose ensemble rom-com Crazy, Stupid, Love. had yet to become a hit with Warner Bros. Picked up for seven figures, the film follows a politician who is caught having an affair and escapes the scandal back to his hometown, where he deals with the wounds from his past.

THR now reports WB favorite Ben Affleck is now looking to play the lead in Nathan Decker, taking Cruise’s place, after he has dropped the project. There are spare details on the film, but don’t expect this one to get rolling anytime soon. The actor/director is finishing up his hostage drama Argo for a fall release and will also likely be doing press rounds for his Terrence Malick film (whenever it ends up getting released), as we know that director won’t be showing up to promote.

As for Fogelman, Crazy, Stupid, Love. was much better than other films in the genre and I look forward to what he does next. The brief synopsis of a politician getting involved with an affair is something we’ve seen many, many times before, but hopefully Fogelman will bring something new to the table. We’ll also see his dramedy The Guilt Trip, starring Seth Rogen, Adam Scott and Barbra Streisand in theaters later this year.

Is this a worthy replacement? Do you like Fogelman’s other work?