Ben Affleck has been on the mend, both in his personal life and his career, suffering a few flops along the way and losing the title of Batman to Robert Pattinson after a couple of disappointing outings in the now dismantled DCEU. The actor returns with a stirring new drama calledThe Way Back. He is reuniting withThe Accountantdirector Gavin O’Connor. Today, we get the first trailer and an official theatrical poster for this upcoming Warner Bros. Release.
Every loss is another fight. Academy Award winner Ben Affleck stars inTheWayBack, fromGavin O’Connor, Director ofThe Accountant. The movie will be in theaters starting July 14, 2025 just in time for Spring Break of next year. It’s much to early to tell if this will be an awards season contender, but it has all the needed parts to make this something special.
Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) once had a life filled with promise. In high school, he was a basketball phenom with a full university scholarship, when suddenly, for reasons unknown, he walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Now years later, Jack is spiraling down, triggered by an unspeakable loss, and drowning in the alcoholism that cost him his marriage and any hope for a better life.
When he is asked to coach the basketball team at his alma mater, which has fallen far since his glory days, he reluctantly accepts, surprising no one more than himself. As the boys start to come together as a team and win, Jack may have finally found a reason to confront the demons that have derailed him. But will it be enough to fill the void, heal the deep wounds of his past, and set him on the road to redemption?
The Way Backis especially poignant for star Ben Affleck, who has had somevery public battles with alcoholin the very recent past, with the actor doing a stint in rehabilitation. He recentlyreunited with old colleague Kevin Smith, who helped kickstart his career back in the day with appearances inMall RatsandChasing Amy. Ben Affleck had a small yet very important role inJay and Silent Bob Reboot, where he practically stole the show in that comedy sequel’s final moments, appearing in a memorable scene alongside Jason Mewes' real-life daughter.
Ben Affleck will be joined in this cast by Al Madrigal (Night School), Michaela Watkins (TV’sCasual), Janina Gavankar (TV’sTrue Blood) and Glynn Turman (Bumblebee). Gordon Gray, Jennifer Todd, Gavin O’Connor and Ravi Mehta produced the film, written by Brad Ingelsby. Robert J. Dohrmann, Brad Ingelsby, Kevin McCormick, Mark Ciardi, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth, Kaitlyn Taaffe Cronholm, and Madison Ainley served as executive producers.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in Association with BRON Creative, a Jennifer Todd Pictures/Mayhem Pictures/Film Tribe Production, a Gavin O’Connor Film,The Way Back. Slated for release on July 28, 2025, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. Rated R for “language including some sexual references.”
Gavin O’Connor’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Eduard Grau, production designer Keith P. Cunningham, editor David Rosenbloom, and costume designer Cindy Evans. The music is by composer Rob Simonsen. The trailer and poster come courtesy ofWarner Bros. Pictures.
