Finally, The Real Reason Ben Affleck Quit As Batman
The troubled Justice League production took its toll...
Ben Affleck arguably portrayed the best Batman with the worst attitude towards casual manslaughter we’ve ever had the pleasure of watching on the big screen. Despite general reactions of Affleck’s casting being somewhere between ‘ooh-my-god-why!’ and utter contemptuous drivel, the two-time Oscar winner turned out a well-regarded performance as the Bat.
His turn in the role combined a gruelling physical transformation with the more sinister and ruthless aspects of the Dark Knight legend, hinting at the tragic origins of the broken character. Hints we assumed would be answered in The Batman, which Affleck was set to be involved with from its announcement in 2014. However, after stepping down from directing duties in 2017, Affleck announced that he would no longer be starring in The Batman in January 2019.
And now we know why.
Originally Affleck asserted that hung up the cowl after being unable to come up with a version he felt would work. “I couldn’t crack it,” Affleck told Jimmy Kimmel. “So I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at it.”
However, in an interview with The New York Times Affleck, rather candidly, opened up about his personal struggles across the last 7 years. In 2018 Affleck’s marriage to Jennifer Garner ended after a lengthy separation, something the actor states was in part due to alcoholism. “The biggest regret of my life is this divorce,” he told the New York Times. “Shame is really toxic. There is no positive byproduct of shame. It’s just stewing in a toxic, hideous feeling of low self-worth and self-loathing.”
On top of his personal issues the troubled shoot of Justice League - which saw extensive reshoots, two directors, studio interference, and the worst CGI moustache removal feasible - turned Affleck off returning. “I showed somebody ‘The Batman’ script. They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through again.’”
The interview itself is a startling read, with Affleck placing his vulnerability front and centre to show that, like all of us, there are times where we stumble in life.
Remember to be kind to yourself, and recognise that if you need help, it’s only ever a call away. UK readers can find the link to the NHS helplines here, where there is always someone you can reach. Global readers can find assistance here.