Ben Affleck Might Not Actually Direct The Batman
Holy unenthusiastic-sounding leading man, Batman!
So much for confirmation that The Batman was coming and Ben Affleck was definitely directing himself in it.
Despite the Warner Bros head honcho Kevin Tsujihara confirming that Affleck would be directing the Dark Knight's next standalone, and the studio seemingly shunting Justice League to fit in the movie, it's not entirely set in stone yet. Affleck himself has said in an interview with the Guardian that “the idea” is that he would be directing, but it's far from done.
“It’s not a set thing and there’s no script. If it doesn’t come together in a way I think is really great I’m not going to do it.”
Hopefully that's just a reflection of slow progress on the script rather than a change of heart for Affleck, who remains one of Hollywood's most highly rated - and thus highly employable - directors currently working. He's obviously been keen in the past, sharing snippets of info - including a hint at the title and the Deathstroke footage that appeared on Twitter - so this might come as something of a shock to fans.
It might have something to do with the behind-the-scenes issues that seem t blight all DC movies currently (don't shoot the messenger folks). The actor himself has already hinted at ongoing story issues during a Facebook Live interview with the New York Times with previous confirmation that the script was still being worked on... Maybe he's just a little frustrated that it hasn't been hammered out on schedule.
Presumably, the project is no further advanced than it was at that stage, and while it's coming, it's hard not to think we might be looking at a shunt back in release date sooner or later. If that makes for a better movie and Affleck attached as director, that's not necessarily a bad thing.