Ben Affleck Will Not Be Directing THE BATMAN

The bad news: Ben Affleck will not be directing The Batman. The good news: he will still star in the DC Comics superhero flick. There have been rumours that Affleck wouldn’t commit to directing for a while (I’m man enough to admit that I got it wrong).

This is disappointing in so far as all his directorial efforts have been great (yes, even Live By Night) and he would have delivered an impressive big screen incarnation of The Dark Knight. However, ditching directing due to the magnitude of the undertaking is understandable. He’s not only starring, but producing and co-writing (alongside Geoff Johns) as well. That’s a whole lot of pressure.

This is what he had to say about the departure:

“There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions. Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require. Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film. I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director. I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”

War Of The Planet Of The Apes helmer Matt Reeves is apparently favourite to direct the film, although there are others on the shortlist.

Keep reading Movies In Focus for more on this as it develops.

Ben Affleck will next be seen as Batman in Justice League, which opens in November 2017.