Hear me out. American writer and psychotherapist Collette Dowling once said, “Relationships are like a dance, with visible energy racing back and forth between partners. Some relationships are the slow dark dance of death.” I only say this because your relationship with Batman, Ben Affleck and Warner Bros. might be curdling. Hell, Ben Affleck’s relationship with Warner Bros. and DC Films might be going sour too. We’re all feeling maybe some kind of PTSD from the flip flopping.
READ MORE: Casey Affleck Thinks Ben Affleck Won’t Return For ‘The Batman’ Movie
Let’s do the recap. So, the relationship has been rocky and reportedly on and off for a long time, and most recently and perhaps most tellingly, Ben Affleck set up his most recent film, the Afghan war drama “Red Platoon,” over at Sony Pictures. This raised a few eyebrows and it should. Affleck’s made his last three films over at Warner Bros., “The Town,” “Argo” and “Live By Night.” Between these three films, Affleck has garnered eight Academy Award nominations, three of them wins, including the coveted Best Picture for “Argo.”
Ben Affleck Sort Of Denies Rumors: Suggests He Has One More ‘Batman’ Movie Left
This makes Ben Affleck Warner Bros.’ golden boy and gave him carte blanche to make the relatively expensive period gangster film “Live By Night.” After that picture was already green lit, WB welcomed him into the superhero fold as Batman in “Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice.” “Live By Night” was a flop, but whatever, you don’t throw a golden boy aside after one misstep (many, many filmmakers prove this over and over again).
Ben Affleck Sort Of Denies Rumors: Suggests He Has One More ‘Batman’ Movie Left
Long story short, in THR’s recent report about Warner Bros. hoping to have Leonard DiCaprio star in their Martin Scorsese-produced grim and gritty Joker film, there’s a buried nugget. The trade insists that Ben Affleck will not appear as Batman in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” Warner Bros. insists they are wrong.
So it’s he said, she said, but you’d be foolish to think Affleck isn’t leaving… at least at some point. The writing appears to be on the wall and if I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Affleck bouncing after “Justice League.” Don’t forget any Affleck denials were a lot of double talk with lots of enthusiasm, but not a lot of point blank, “These rumors are false, I will still be your Batman.” The actor simply wants to get back to his critically-acclaimed directing career. Wouldn’t you after all the brouhaha, annoying noise, and gossip around the Batman role? Personally, I’d be sick of this shit by now. He’s got a DGA award for Best Director and a Best Picture Oscar for f’s sake.
READ MORE: Rumor: Ben Affleck Wants To Leave The ‘Batman’ Role
THR mentioned that Affleck was leaving last week, and made a correction, but this week they are doubling down, saying sources insist he’s out. Take it all with a grain of salt? Look, for me, where there’s smoke there’s usually fire, and it feels like this story is Hollywood’s worst kept secret, but hey, keep your hopes up if you like.