We have reported extensively on Ben Affleck’s embattled tenure as the Caped Crusader and last week’s news that director Matt Reeves would be ditching Affleck’s The Batman script and starting from scratch didn’t exactly augur well for the actor’s future with the franchise. That said, a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests we might be getting some big news on that front very soon.
An unnamed source told the outlet that Warner Bros. executives are looking for a way to “usher out Affleck’s Batman gracefully” and are hoping to address the change in a future film. If true, the news could make his upcoming Justice League promo appearance at Comic-Con … well … let’s just hope it doesn’t turn out like this.
Studio President Toby Emmerich responded to the rumors by saying simply: “Ben is our Batman. We love him as Batman. We want to keep him in the cowl as long as we can.” Reeves, too, has been vocal in his support for the actor, but we cannot help but feel like the writing has been on the wall for a while now.
First off, Affleck just doesn’t seem too keen on continuing as the character. Second, there is a vocal contingent of anti-Affleck fans out there. Third, with all the smoke floating around, there has to be a fire somewhere. It is also worth noting that Affleck will soon turn 45 and that not every superhero ages as gracefully as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man.
Since this news is far from confirmed, it’s not worth speculating about a replacement yet, but you imagine that Warner Bros. would target a young, up-and-comer, since the plan is to continue the franchise well into the future. In fact, Reeves suggested that his Batman arc could turn into a trilogy. Throw in the already-announced Justice League Part Two and that could carry the character through the better part of the next decade.
While the whispers do seem to be growing louder, Affleck is still Batman for the time being. Be sure to stay tuned and we will provide updates if and when news breaks.
