Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are keeping occupied with busy work schedules even as they navigate marital troubles.
The pair, who are currently living separately, are focused on movie projects at the moment: Affleck, 51, is filming The Accountant 2 in Los Angeles, missing key red carpet events that Lopez, 54, has attended solo in recent weeks, like the Met Gala and premieres.
And Lopez, meanwhile, is on a press tour rolling out her sci-fi film Atlas, which debuts on Netflix this Friday, May 24. Lopez previously said she feels “very passionately about the story and particularly the friendship story at the core of it.”
Read on for what’s up next career-wise for Lopez and Affleck, including some collaborations between the two.
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Affleck returns in ‘The Accountant 2’
Affleck’s 2016 action film The Accountant, in which he plays Christian Wolff, a math genius working for dangerous clients, became a hit at the time. The sequel’s logline teases: “When her former boss is killed by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) is forced to contact Christian Wolff to solve the murder.”
Chris, with help from his lethal brother Brax (Jon Bernthal), “applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle,” the synopsis adds. “As they get closer to the truth, the trio draw the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive — all intent on putting a stop to their search.”
Affleck and pal Matt Damon are among the producers through their company Artists Equity after acquiring the sequel rights from Warner Bros. and bringing the movie to Amazon MGM.
He is also a producer behind two films expected to release later this year: The Instigators, directed by Doug Liman and starring Damon and brother Casey Affleck, and Unstoppable — which stars Lopez along with Emmy-winner Jharrel Jerome and Bobby Cannavale.
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Lopez stars in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ musical
The Hustlers actress will star in a new film adaptation of the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman (there was a 1985 movie with Sônia Braga). It’s directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) and also stars Diego Luna, and Affleck and Damon are producers through Artists Equity.
Lopez’s producing partner Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas told Variety that John Kander, the 97-year-old composer behind the original musical, was “astounded” by her performance and vocals: “He said it was the best he ever heard.”
Added Lopez, “[Kander] was there for all of our recordings of the album and the pre-records for the movie. It was a dream.”
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Jennifer Garner is in talks to star in an Affleck movie
Affleck is set to direct the crime thriller Animals for Netflix, producing alongside Damon with their Artists Equity company. As previously reported, Jennifer Garner, who is Affleck’s ex-wife with whom he shares three kids, is in talks to join the cast.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Damon, 53, will play a mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. He and his wife (played by Garner) are forced to take the rescue mission into their own hands.
DANIELE VENTURELLI/GETTY IMAGES
Lopez sets off on a summer concert tour
In February, the singer announced her This Is Me… Live, a string of North American arena concerts set for this summer in support of her ninth studio album This Is Me… Now.
The tour kicks off June 26 in Orlando, Florida, and features shows in Austin, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Toronto, New York City, Boston and more. It’s her first tour since 2019’s It’s My Party Tour.
“Come dance the night away at This Is Me…LIVE this Summer. Grab your tickets now at LiveNation.com,” wrote Lopez on Instagram April 3, teasing a career-spanning set list.