Zack Snyder Says Batman Has A "Crisis Of Conscience" In 'Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice' Plus New Pics

With many still wrapping their heads around Ben Affleck taking on the role of the Dark Knight in "Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice," the actor also thought that, at least age wise, he was over the hill to be playing the iconic superhero…until he learned what the approach would be.

"Initially I thought, ‘I’m older, it doesn’t seem like the right sort of fit for me,’" he told Empire (print edition; via Comic Book Movie). "Then Zack [Snyder] pitched me his concept for this older, more broken, kind of f**ked up Batman. It was something we haven’t seen. We have seen that Batman is willing to cross the line to protect people. That vigilantism has been a part of his character all along, and we are tapping into that mentality when faced by something as potentially deadly as Superman."

Indeed, the arrival of a seemingly unstoppable force in the shape of Superman shakes Batman, with Snyder explaining how the Man Of Steel changes everything for The Dark Knight.

"We want to assume that Batman has reached this point in his life and career as a superhero, and Superman represents a sort of philosophical change. He is a paradigm shift for Batman: ‘I’ve been fighting criminals all my life, trying to find justice, and now I am confronted with a concept that is transcendent to me.’ In the face of Superman, a man robbing a bank doesn’t matter," the director said.

And that’s certainly an interesting notion to play with thematically — that Batman’s concerns go from local to global overnight — and it seems it will cause a few sleepless nights for the hero. "He’s having a crisis of conscience. ‘Am I really just a vigilante who stalks the alleys of Gotham?’ It is rich stuff that he deals with. Ben does an amazing job," Snyder said.

Empire also reveals that Batman will have a history with The Joker, Harley Quinn and more of the baddies who appear in "Suicide Squad." But though he’ll be broken, Batman is far from defeated.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice" opens on March 25, 2016.