'Powerful men don’t have to be cruel': Ben Affleck is a 1920s gangster in crime drama Live By Night co-starring Zoe Saldana

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 22:34 EST, 8 September 2016 | Updated: 23:29 EST, 8 September 2016

Ben Affleck plays a 1920s gangster in upcoming crime drama Live By Night.

The actor got to put his Boston accent to use again for the prohibition-era flick, which also stars Zoe Saldana.

In a teaser trailer released on Thursday the 44-year-old is seen playing Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston police superintendent, who chooses to live the life of an outlaw, turning his back on his strict upbringing.

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The teaser trailer for Live By Night was released on Thursday showing Ben Affleck as a 1920s gangster 

The teaser trailer for Live By Night was released on Thursday showing Ben Affleck as a 1920s gangster 

'I signed up to fight in the war. I went away a soldier. I came home an outlaw.' Affleck's Coughlin narrates.

At the start of the clip he looks suave in a crisp linen suit and fedora as he talks to love interest Graciella Suarez (Saldana).

'You don’t think I’m strong enough?' Affleck asks.

'I don’t know if you’re cruel enough,' Saldana answers, to which he replies: 'Powerful men don’t have to be cruel.'

Affleck plays Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston police superintendent, who chooses to live the life of an outlaw, turning his back on his strict upbringing

Affleck plays Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston police superintendent, who chooses to live the life of an outlaw, turning his back on his strict upbringing

'I don’t know if you’re cruel enough,' Saldana's Graciella Suarez tells Coughlin, to which he replies: 'Powerful men don’t have to be cruel'

'I don’t know if you’re cruel enough,' Saldana's Graciella Suarez tells Coughlin, to which he replies: 'Powerful men don’t have to be cruel'

Red flag: Sienna Miller plays Emma Gould, the mistress of a powerful mobster

Red flag: Sienna Miller plays Emma Gould, the mistress of a powerful mobster

Cue car chases and shoot outs and a very glamorous looking Sienna Miller who plays Emma Gould, the mistress of a powerful mobster.

After some time behind bars in Boston Coughlin is propelled into Tampa’s underworld becoming an infamous gangster.

'We all find ourselves in lives we didn't expect,' Coughlin says. 

Elle Fanning appears as preacher Loretta Figgis - also the daughter of a Tampa police chief - in some of the more ominous scenes.

'I signed up to fight in the war. I went away a soldier. I came home an outlaw.' Affleck as Coughlin narrates

'I signed up to fight in the war. I went away a soldier. I came home an outlaw.' Affleck as Coughlin narrates

The action-packed trailer features numerous shoot-outs and car-chases

The action-packed trailer features numerous shoot-outs and car-chases

Headed south: Coughlin ends up in Tampa after things go wrong for him in Boston

Headed south: Coughlin ends up in Tampa after things go wrong for him in Boston

'Did you find out if you are as cruel as you need to be?' Saldana asks near the end of the clip but we don't hear his answer.

'I realized to be free in this life, breaking the rules meant nothing,' Coughlin concludes.

'You had to be strong enough to make your own.'

Gun-toting: Coughlin slips deep into organised crime becoming an infamous gangster

Gun-toting: Coughlin slips deep into organised crime becoming an infamous gangster

Elle Fanning pops up as preacher Loretta Figgis, daughter of the Tampa police chief, in some of the more ominous scenes

Elle Fanning pops up as preacher Loretta Figgis, daughter of the Tampa police chief, in some of the more ominous scenes

Chris Cooper, Brendan Gleeson and Chris Messina also star in movie based on the book by Dennis Lehane.

Affleck directs and also adapted the screenplay for the movie which is slated for release January 13 2017.

He also produced the flick along with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran. 

At the helm: Affleck directs and also adapted the screenplay for the movie which is slated for release January 13 2017

At the helm: Affleck directs and also adapted the screenplay for the movie which is slated for release January 13 2017

'Did you find out if you are as cruel as you need to be?' Saldana asks at the end of the clip

'Did you find out if you are as cruel as you need to be?' Saldana asks at the end of the clip

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