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- Primary Subject: Ben Affleck on his decision to scrap his standalone The Batman film and a potential return to comic book movies.
- Key Update: Ben Affleck confirmed he walked away from directing and starring in The Batman due to studio friction during Justice League, while stating he feels done with superhero roles despite praising Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: October 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: Ben Affleck revealed studio interference and personal tragedy led to scrapping The Batman, noting he feels done with superhero roles despite high praise for Kevin Feige.
Before Robert Pattinson took up the cowl for Matt Reeves' The Batman, the Caped Crusader's solo return was slated to be an entirely different beast to tame on the big screens.
After making his debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Oscar-winning filmmaker and actor Ben Affleck was set to write, direct, and star in a standalone Batman feature. In a recent interview, Affleck reveals the truth about the scrapped project and whether he would ever suit up for Marvel.
Ben Affleck Reveals Truth Behind Scrapped The Batman Project
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Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Ben Affleck set the record straight on why he ultimately decided to step away from directing and starring in his standalone Batman script:
"The truth is that the experience of Justice League for me was so, so negative for lots of different reasons. Some of which had to do with where I was personally, and some of which had to do with some of the tragedy that happened during that time," Affleck shared, "And also, the fact that I really saw how not to make a movie like that, which is when the studio is at odds with the filmmaker."
Beyond behind-the-scenes friction, Affleck also noted that to completely satisfy DC fans with a Batman project, the set director should pour their heart into it, which he admitted he had no passion or desire to do for the role at the time.
However, just because he missed out on a past Caped Crusader project doesn't mean no other doors are willing to open for him to reprise his role.
Could Ben Affleck Eventually Appear in the MCU?
While comic book fans have long speculated whether Affleck could make a multiverse leap, or even reprise his early 2000s role as Matt Murdock's Daredevil in Marvel Studios' ongoing multiverse saga, Affleck reveals how he truly feels about returning to the superhero genre in general.
Asked whether Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has reached out to him to reprise Matt Murdock, Affleck said, "He hasn't. I wish he would. I just feel that I've kind of done my superhero movies, and I don't know that there's anything left for me that's particularly interesting for me to do."
Despite praising Feige as being "the only guy [of all the producers in the world who pretended to know what the audience wants] I would ever believe is Kevin Feige," Affleck is stepping away from the genre entirely.
Rather than suiting up in spandex or armor again, Affleck is prioritizing directing, writing, and producing more drama films alongside his Artists Equity production company with longtime best friend Matt Damon. Stay tuned!
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