10 Actors Who Originally Turned Down Their Most Iconic Roles
6. Ben Affleck Was Afraid To Play Batman After Daredevil - Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
After the 2003 movie adaptation of Daredevil was met with such critical distain, Ben Affleck became the laughing stock of Hollywood. Though he was by no means the worst thing about the film, he was at the centre of the massacre, so to speak; when Daredevil failed, so did Affleck (Bennifer didn't help).
You can understand why he was anxious to play another iconic superhero - the most iconic superhero of all, even - in the wake of such of disaster, which is why Affleck originally turned down Warner Bros.' offer to play the Dark Knight in Batman V Superman, claiming he didn't see himself in the role.
The studio, however, were convinced that Ben - following his recent successes as an actor, director, writer and producer - was the right man for the job and feverishly pursued the star of (ahem) Gigli as their leading man. Eventually, they wore him down, and Affleck - despite the objections of millions of fans - was announced as the new Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Though the film was ultimately panned by critics and received mixed reviews from fans, Affleck did not: many deemed him to be the best thing about the film, with some even declaring him to be the best Batman to have graced the big screen.