Those of you who were hoping to seeBen Affleckdon the cape and cowl again inThe Batman, I have some bad news for you: It’s looking unlikely. Not only does the latest version of writer-directorMatt Reeves' script reportedly skew towards a younger take on the Caped Crusader (at least in the first act), Warner Bros. is in a state of flux where DC projects are concerned, and Affleck also has a pretty busy shooting schedule that’s only gotten busier in recent weeks.
In aTHRwrite-up that recaps the recent executive shake-ups at DC Entertainment andlooks ahead to Warner Bros.' DC movie plans,The Batmanappeared as a side note to the whole thing. There’s no official confirmation yet, but if Reeves' focus on a younger version of Batman is the direction that the film is going, it’s unlikely that Affleck would step in to revisit the role he played inBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeandJustice League. Your next best chance to see him take on the mantle of Batman once more would be in Warner Bros.‘Justice Leaguesequel, but even that is in question at this point.
Admittedly, that’s kind of a bummer. I happened to like Affleck’s take on both the brooding Bruce Wayne and his hulking bruiser version of Batman. (Whether the scripts lived up to those performances is another matter entirely.) It’s looking like Warner Bros. is trying to refocus their DC superhero/supervillain efforts in the years ahead, and Affleck may be the first casualty in that regard.And it’s not the first time we’ve heard rumors to that effect.
That’s fine for Affleck himself since he is keeping plenty busy lately. He’s currently filmingTriple Frontierfor writer-directorJ.C. Chandoralongside co-starsCharlie Hunnam,Oscar Isaac,Garrett HedlundandPedro Pascalat Netflix. He’s also on board to direct and star inChristopher Keyser’s adaptation ofAgatha Christie’s crime/mystery novelWitness for the Prosecution, and will likely return for a sequel to the crime-dramaThe Accountant. Affleck was also just reported to be reteaming withThe AccountantdirectorGavin O’Connorfor the sports drama,The Has-Been.
Would you like to see Affleck suit up asThe Batmanagain or is it time for new bat-blood? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
