![Ben Affleck as Batman Ben Affleck as Batman](https://i0.wp.com/www.geeksofdoom.com/GoD/img/2015/07/ben-affleck-batman-530x282.jpg?resize=530%2C282&ssl=1)
There comes a point in time where we have to ask ourselves if there’s going to be any good news about Ben Affleck and The Batman. Since Affleck joined the DCEU, he’s been in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, both were marred by negative reviews for a variety of reasons. Then there was the pressure to direct a great Batman film, which he took himself out of.
So while Matt Reeves taking the helm may be a sigh of relief, there’s still the rumor of Affleck wanting out of his obligation to star as the Caped Crusader as well. Now there’s word that the at execs at WB are working on a deal to make that happen, but in a graceful manner. More on the story below.
THR says that the studio is working on a way to remove Affleck from the role in one of the upcoming movies. Whether or not this related to the recent Justice League reshoots that are taking place under Joss Whedon’s direction remains to be seen. But the timing of all of this is very coincidental, and we will perhaps learn more about this tomorrow when WB holds their panel.
While the report says Affleck is heading to SDCC, it is only to help promote Justice League. There’s no mention of The Batman in the mix. But the likelihood of him playing the title character is very slim when you take into account the fact that he isn’t getting any younger. A superhero film on a body of a man of his age won’t be doing him any favors. The actor turns 45 this August, and Reeves has yet to begin production on the film, which currently has no release date. So if Reeves does proceed with a Batman trilogy, the actor would be in his mid-fifties.
The second thing is that Reeves dropped the script that Affleck and Johns wrote in favor of his own. That’s not the kind of thing anyone would like to see, especially since they put all that time and effort into working on it.
So what are the possible solutions to this problem. Well, don’t expect to see dual Batmans. Meaning we’d see one Batman in Justice League and a different one in The Batman. While a sequel is in the works, there are no plans to get one into production as soon as possible. Release dates for DCEU films are slowly trickling out. In fact, films like The Flash and Green Lantern Corps have yet to receive a release date. But Shazam was recently announced as the next DCEU project to head into production.
Another solution to the problem is taking on the replacement head on in the film by adapting one of the storylines that addressed who would replace Batman. In “Knightfall” story arc, we saw Bruce suffer a significant injury when Bane broke his back. An assassin soon took the mantle, but when he went too far, Batman came out of retirement to stop him. He would eventually go back into retirement and handed the title off the title of Batman to Nightwing (Dick Grayson).
And it just so happens that there is a Nightwing movie currently in the works from The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay. But who knows if WB would even consider addressing that.
As always, we will keep you posted on the developing situation.
[Source: THR]
I don’t follow the comment about him being 45 and that working against him for Batman. An older Batman will look older. Not rocket science. I suspect the script wasn’t great and no one is clamoring for Affleck to be Batman. Never were, still aren’t. I don’t think he’s been bad necessarily, but most Batman fans (I’m not a big Batman person myself) were never happy with him.
Comment by jwhyrock — July 22, 2017 @ 6:50 pm