Ben Affleck To Direct Justice League?

Warner Bros want Ben Affleck to direct the live-action Justice League film that the studio hopes to deliver in 2015, according to a breaking news story at Variety. Affleck, who I've blogged about many times as being my first choice to spearhead the Batman film franchise after Chris Nolan, looks instead to be the man chosen to bring the big ensemble of DC superheroes to the big screen. According to the trades, WB have sent Will Beall's JLA screenplay to Affleck to gauge his interest in the project. He is the only director they have sent it to so far and it looks like it's his film if he wants it. This move was pretty much expected as Affleck is one of WB's top directors (along with Harry Potter director David Yates and Man of Steel's Zack Snyder) after delivering the 2010 heist thriller The Town - and he has a much anticipated follow-up with the studio opening in October in Argo, a middle east drama that was also written by Beall. He has proved himself in delivering critically and commercially appreciated fare, a lot like Chris Nolan did with Memento and Insomnia and perhaps most tellingly of all, Affleck is believed to have turned down WB's initial approach to direct the Superman reboot Man of Steel when he was offered it in 2010 BEFORE Zack Snyder. He is currently also attached to direct an adaptation of Stephen King's epic novel The Stand, another high priority film at WB, though with this offer he has jumped from high priority to highest priority. Variety suggest that if Affleck agrees to the offer and production comes together problem free - the movie will be released in the summer of 2015 and production kicking off next year/early 2014. Basically, Affleck would have to drop everything from his schedule to do the film which includes several acting and directing offers alongside The Stand. The trades have no more details on the offer to Affleck but it will be interesting to see if he fancies another go around with spandex after his last, when he starred in 2003's Daredevil, didn't go so well and was the beginning of the worst period of his acting career. But we do know he's a huge comic book fan and the opportunity to direct a JLA movie - a film teaming the likes of Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash together - is a once in a lifetime offer that is not easy to turn down. Interestingly (though unlikely given the size of the project) but could pave the way for him starring in the movie, perhaps as The Flash or even as Batman himself? He has recently said he would be only interested in directing movies he would also star in and there's definitely a few options for him here. Whether Affleck turns down the movie or not (and let's hope he does decide to take it) what it no doubt indicates is that WB plan the Justice League movie to be much more like the gritty, realistic and adult takes for the Chris Nolan and David Goyer infused post-Dark Knight and Man of Steel flicks. With filming next year, it would also indicate that there will be no Batman film until after JLA... where a new version of The Caped Crusader is expected to debut. So folks, Affleck to spearhead the JLA movie? We'd love to hear your thoughts...