Ben Affleck to treat the cast of hostage flick, Argo, like actual hostages

I never knew Ben Affleck was this sick of a puppy, but I guess inflicting Reindeer Games on a helpless populace should've tipped me off. Affleck is set to direct the hostage drama, Argo, based on one of the strangest events surrounding the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979. Six Americans who escaped the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, were on the run for days before being put up in the Canadian Embassy. Over a period of weeks, the six lived as fake houseguests in the Embassy, while the CIA and Canada concocted an intricate scheme to get them out of the country. They employed CIA espionage expert Tony Mendez(played by Affleck in the film) to help create a workable cover story. The plan was to present the six as crew of a big budget Hollywood sci-fi film called Argo, and were there simply to do some location scouting. Fake ads, productions sites, etc. were all a part of the grand scheme. It worked, and the six were eventually flown out to Switzerland safely.

Well Affleck wants to put his cast through something that would only make Alfred Hitchcock grin from ear to ear. In order to recreate the fear and claustrophobia the hostages experienced during the embassy storming, Affleck is going to force six of the castmembers to live like hostages for two weeks prior to production. I'm not sure what that will entail but I'm guessing they won't be allowed to bathe; will be fed at random times and probably nothing of their own choice; and I'm guessing they aren't free to go catch a movie or anything.

Here's hoping this thing isn't too real. I mean they should have toilets and everything, right? Affleck's role as Mendez doesn't require him to live like a savage, so he's off the hook. So is Alan Arkin, who plays Lester Siegel, another agent key to the rescue. Since nobody's really been cast to play the hostages yet, we don't know who's signed up for the treatment, but I'll be curious to see if any big names are involved.

This will be Affleck's third directorial effort after Gone Baby Gone and The Town.[Vulture]