Production is moving forward on The Last Thing He Wanted, an adaptation of acclaimed journalist and author Joan Didion's 1996 book.

Ben Affleck, Toby Jones, Mel Rodriguez and Rosie Perez have joined the previously announced Anne Hathaway and Willem Dafoe for the project.

The story centers around Elena McMahon (Hathaway), a reporter for the Washington Post who quits her job to care for her father. She inherits his position as an arms dealer for the U.S. Government in Central America.

There she finds herself on dangerous ground as the Iran Contra Affair’s arms for drugs plot reaches its tipping point.

Rees' previous film, Mudbound, was also distributed by Netflix. Dealing with race and PTSD from the perspective of two WWII veterans - one white, one black - the film was nominated for four awards at this year's Oscars.

The director also helmed an episode of Channel 4's Phillip K. Dick anthology series Electric Dreams

Currently shooting in Puerto Rico, The Last Thing He Wanted will be released in Ireland in 2019.