AceShowbiz -

As "Argo" claimed the top prize at the 2013 Critics' Choice Movie Awards and became a Best Picture nominee at the upcoming Oscars, Ben Affleck already had his vision for his upcoming directing gig. To MTV News, the 40-year-old actor/director confirmed that he had secured "Live By Night" as his next project.

"Basically I'm doing a movie called Live By Night and I'm trying to meet this scheduled in order to do it, in order to meet the back end so that I can have it released at the right time," he stated. Affleck also explained that his plan of making the movie was the reason why he decided to depart "Focus", in which he supposedly starred opposite Kristen Stewart.

"I just hadn't gotten enough writing done and it become clear that if I took that job and was in Buenos Aires for three months, I was gonna miss the deadline," he reasoned. "I had to choose between getting the movie out when I want to or doing this one, so reluctantly I chose the [former]."

Still, the husband of Jennifer Garner noted that he wished he could team up with Stewart for the movie. "But I love those guys," he said, "I love Kristen, I was really excited to work with her, I think the movie's gonna be fabulous, and I'm sure they'll find a great guy for it."

Reports that Affleck set his eyes on "Live By Night", which is developed at Warner Bros. Pictures, was first shared last October. He was at the time in talks to helm the project, which was based on Dennis Lehane's mystery novel of the same name.

The story follows Joe Coughlin, a Boston cop's son who rebels against his father and eventually joins a mobster. His organized crime spreads across Tampa, Florida and Cuba. Author Lehane aims to complete the series as a trilogy, but Affleck reportedly would focus on the "Live By Night" chapter.

Aside from "Live By Night", Affleck is attached to helm Warners' other projects, including an adaptation of Stephen King's "The Stand" and a remake of French thriller "Tell No One (2013)".