Warner Bros. launched their DC superhero slate in 2013 with Henry Cavil taking the lead as the son of Krypton, Superman. After three years, Ben Affleck was announced to play Batman and first appeared as the iconic bat vigilante in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Affleck's portrayal of the caped crusader was warmly embraced by the fans, and his performance in 2016's Justice League was also widely praised. Given that, it was evident that the actor is expected to have more appearances to come, including a solo Batman film. After reports claim that the actor would helm and star in the solo film, sadly, Affleck surprisingly turned over the project to Matt Reeves. Years after, Matt Reeves introduced The Batman, which focused on a younger version of Bruce Wayne, starring Robert Pattinson.
With Ben Affleck's plans for the solo film being scrapped, it's hard not to wonder about what Affleck’s version of the film looks like.
The Batman director Matt Reeves sat as a guest on The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith where he opened up about turning down Ben Affleck's version of the Batman.
"The movie was originally going to be directed by Ben Affleck, and the script they sent me had been written by Ben but rewritten by another very talented writer, and when I read it, I was like, 'Oh, I get it.' It was a standalone Batman film that was centered on Ben's version of the character, but it was more action-driven than what I felt I could do," Reeves explained. "I didn't connect to the movie in terms of me as a filmmaker. It was very James Bond-ian; it was filled with a lot of set pieces. It could have been a very exciting movie for someone else to do, but it wasn't for me to do."
Based on the current headlines, it looks like Affleck is over with his Batman role. According to reports, Andy Muschietti's The Flash would be Affleck's last outing as Bruce Waye, together with rumors that the upcoming Flash film would see the death of Affleck's Bruce Wayne.
It also makes sense how Reeves passed on helming Affleck's solo film after we've seen The Batman. Reeves's iteration of the bat vigilante in the film highlighted Bruce Wayne's internal struggle and detective skills, while Affleck's version is focused on thrilling action sequences similar to the James Bond films.
Nevertheless, fans have now found their new Batman with Robert Pattinson, and a sequel was already greenlit under Warner Bros. Aside from that, Reeves is now occupied with crafting a bigger Bat-Verse with projects like The Penguin and Arkham Asylum, both coming to HBO Max.
The Batman is available to stream on HBO Max.
Also read: Director Matt Reeves Explains The Ending of The Batman
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