The rumors had always been in the air that Ben Affleck had one foot out the door the DC Films Extended Universe, but they never quite stuck. The studio insisted the actor was still the one they wanted in the Batsuit, and perhaps they made overtures to try and keep him in the franchise. However, it looks like he’s going fade into the dark.
THR reveals that “Justice League” will likely be the last time Affleck ever appears on screen as Batman. That’s right, he won’t be starring in Matt Reeves‘ mooted “The Batman.” The news is certainly a surprise, and it’s awful timing with Warner Bros. gearing up for a big San Diego Comic Con presentation tomorrow, but the writing was always on the wall.
READ MORE: 5 Reasons Why Ben Affleck Wisely Bailed On Directing ‘The Batman’
Perhaps the first sign that Affleck might be wavering on continuing as Batman was when he stepped down from directing his solo movie. Then there was the news, first teased in the spring, and confirmed this month, that Affleck’s script that he wrote with Geoff Johns for “The Batman” was being scrapped entirely. That’s not to mention Affleck’s irritation during the press rounds of “Live By Night,” of being asked constantly about the solo movie. Add all that together with the fact that “Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice” was hardly a great display for the character, what incentive does Affleck have at staying on in the role?
Naturally, WB continues to insist that “Ben is our Batman,” but, according to the trade, Affleck is out, and the upcoming films will figure out a way to gracefully exit the character from the storyline. He will not be in any “Justice League” sequels, which are likely a few years out at the earliest, while the first is currently undergoing extensive reshoots.
Should all this play out —and it sounds like it will — it’s a crushing blow to the DCEU. Just as they were enjoying their first victory with “Wonder Woman,” and have the team-up movie “Justice League” on the way, they now have to contend with reconfiguring a major cornerstone of the franchise. All that being said, Reeves is already talking about a potential trilogy of Batman movies, and he could be the right creative hands to reboot the character, even if it’s very unexpectedly early to do so.