WIRE Buzz: Ben Affleck eyeing Keepers of the Lost Cities; Umbrella Academy casts a telekinetic cube; more

Zack Snyder's cut of Justice League may be close to hitting HBO Max, but while fellow stars Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot are already working on getting back into gear for their current projects (Netflix's The Witcher and Wonder Woman 3), it appears that Ben Affleck will be stepping behind the camera for his next effort. 

According to Deadline, Disney has tapped the former Batman actor to direct its upcoming live-action film adaptation of Keeper of the Lost Cities. He will also adapt the script with Kate Gritmon (Game of Thrones), and produce the project through his production company, Pearl Street Films. Madison Ainley will serve as executive producer.  

Written by Shannon Messenger, Keepers of the Lost Cities is the first in a bestselling nine-book series that revolves around Sophie, a clever 12-year-old telepath, who discovers that she's not human, but actually from a world adjacent to ours. Forced to leave her family behind, she'll have to adapt to a new life alongside her mysterious new friend Fitz, as she tries to unlock the secrets buried deep inside her memories — like that of her true identity. 

No release date has been set for the project.

Next up, The Umbrella Academy has found all the members of its Sparrow Academy, with one very special recruit in the bunch! 

Joining the cast alongside this new version of Ben AKA "Number 6" (Justin H. Min) will be Justin Cornwell (I Am the Night) as Marcus, Britne Oldford (The Path) as Lei, Jake Epstein (Designated Survivor) as Alphonso, Genesis Rodriguez (Big Hero 6) as Sloane, Cazzie David (86'd) as Jayme, and newcomer Existential Dread Inducing Psykronium Cube as Christopher, a telekinetic cube that changes temperature, induces fear, and is treated just like the rest of his siblings.

You can catch a glimpse of Sir Reginald Hargreeves' alternate family below.

Credit: Netflix 

As fans will have realized at the end of Season 2, the Sparrow Academy version of Ben is nothing like the sweet sibling who quickly became a fan favorite. Instead, he'll be a lot more Machiavellian, and unwilling to relinquish leadership at all cost — which might be interesting for his fellow siblings! 

Season 3 of the series will be comprised of 10 episodes, with the show looking to start shooting in Toronto in February. 

Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, Adam Godley, and Colm Feore will all reprise their roles when the series returns to Netflix next season. No release date has been announced for Season 3 of The Umbrella Academy just yet. 

And finally, Deadline is reporting that writer David Guggenheim (Designated Survivor) and producer Simon Kinberg (Invasion) are teaming up for a new project that they will be shopped around Hollywood. 

Kinberg will develop Guggenheim's currently untitled script, which features a supernatural element, as well as the potential for an action-packed series and a lead role for an actress. 

There is currently no other news regarding this project.