Is Ben Affleck Really Done As BATMAN?

Back in February it was reported that Ben Affleck wanted out of his contract as Batman. This was around the time he dropped out as director of The Batman (and took a hit for the critical and commercial failure of the rather great Live By Night) – but before Matt Reeves came onboard. Things seemed to settle down and it looked like Affleck would keep wearing the cowl in a post Justice League world. But now The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Warner Bros. is ‘working on plans to usher out Affleck’s Batman gracefully…addressing the change in some shape or form in one of the upcoming DC films’.

I think Ben Affleck is a great Batman/Bruce Wayne and I’d hate to see him depart the role without starring in a solo Batman movie – but THR also states that ‘it would be wise to bet against Affleck starring in The Batman. He has already stepped away from directing the film and Reeves is dropping the script that Affleck wrote with D.C. Entertainment’s Geoff Johns’.

However, the article then goes on to state that Affleck might be a bit too old to keep playing the role – and that his Batman is significantly older that his Justice League colleagues  – but writer Kim Masters seems to forget that an older Batman was always part of the plan (they even aged Affleck up for Dawn of Justice). Masters also alludes to the actor’s very public health issues.

The article discusses a straight-up actor switch or the possibility of having the cowl passed to another character (a bad idea). I’m onboard for the former (if this is even an issue) – with Jon Hamm and Armie Hammer as the best options. But deep down, I want more Batfleck.

We’ll find out soon enough if all this is true – although I imagine it will be after Justice League‘s November 2017 release.

Keep reading Movies In Focus for all news on Batman.

Source: THR