Miramax's newest star

He launched his big-screen acting career at the iconic movie outfit, shared an original screenplay Oscar for 1997's "Good Will Hunting" and starred in eight of the company's films.

It would have been easy for Affleck to disown his Miramax family when his cinematic godfather, Harvey Weinstein, was forced out of the company two years ago in an ugly battle with parent Walt Disney Co. Instead, Affleck is back in the fold, happy to be making his directorial debut there with "Gone Baby Gone."

One big reason: Daniel Battsek, Miramax's new patriarch. Despite having Weinstein's roomy shoes to fill, Battsek not only has held the company together, he also has it flourishing and attracting top talent.

"I would have been very intimidated to take the job," Affleck said. "No one could have anticipated, not even me, the success Daniel would have."

In the 18 months since Battsek took charge, the 48-year-old Brit has firmly established himself as the new face of Miramax Film Corp. while shoring up the company's stature in the cutthroat specialty film world. He's also kept Miramax in the awards game to the point of outscoring predecessor Weinstein, who for years was the one to beat at Oscar time.

This year, Miramax earned six Oscar nominations with "The Queen," capped by Helen Mirren's best actress win. "Venus" star Peter O'Toole also received a best actor nomination. The new Weinstein Co. had one nomination, for best foreign language film, and didn't win.

Battsek's rivals have taken notice of his strides and admit they are getting nervous.

"My worst fears have been fulfilled," said James Schamus, head of Focus Features. "He has more or less instantly become a credible and aggressive competitor in the domestic, specialized marketplace."

Next up for Battsek are two provocative dramas, starting with today's release of "The Lookout," writer Scott Frank's directorial debut. Also upcoming is director Lasse Hallstrom's "The Hoax," starring Richard Gere as author Clifford Irving, who caused a scandal in the early 1970s with a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes.

Production will soon start on the movie version of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Doubt," and two films based on acclaimed novels: the Holocaust drama "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" and "Coram Boy," about orphans in an 18th century British hospice.