Well, it did not take long for Ben Affleck to become Batman indefinitely.
The Hollywood Reporter cites he has signed a multi-picture contract with Warner Bros, setting him to play the Dark Knight in more films than the Man of Steel sequel. Given his relationship with Warner and status as a director, it is very possible they have also hired the director of the next iteration of Batman films as well. With Ben Affleck they actually gain the trifecta of actor, director and writer all in one. Furthermore, THR says talks with Affleck started early this year as they began planning for a sequel. In my earlier article,
Batman vs. Superman Movie: 3 Reasons To Be Excited & 3 Reasons To Worry, I stated one of my reasons to worry was the studio pressure of adding Batman into the sequel as a financial strategy to gain a large audience in 2015, a strategy which would not give Zack Snyder or David Goyer much time to naturally fit Batman into the story. If this true and plans have been in the making since the start of this year, those particular worries might be put to rest. It also makes a lot of sense for Affleck to direct the next solo-Batman films if he chooses to do so. He's been gaining a large amount of acclaim for the films he has directed for his method of storytelling and emphasis on dark and gritty crime drama. If WB does hand him the keys to the Batman franchise it will retain the same sense of continuity following Superman/Batman as well as his skill in crime drama. Another reason why this can be a good sign is because Affleck will have full creative control over the film. Jett over at
Batman-On-Film has stated on numerous occasions his concern that WB forcing Batman into this film would tie the next Batman director's hands as they would not be able to choose their own actor to play the role, being forced to use whoever is in Snyder's film. Hiring Affleck as director immediately takes away those worries and gives him the creative control he'll surely need. Affleck's detractors will cry foul and believe this to be worse news, but it's honestly for the best. Think of the mess this could be if Snyder was forced to use Christian Bale, not only hindering his directorial authority, but also tampering with the continuity of The Dark Knight Trilogy. Or think of Joss Whedon's situation with Avengers; being forced to use the same actors from three separate franchises is not an easy task. Need I remind you that there were many disputes behind the scenes of Avengers since Robert Downey Jr. was gaining the largest paycheck of the entire cast. Its good luck Whedon is a good director with plenty of experience working with ensemble casts, making the film a billion dollar hit. I still can't see Affleck as Batman at the moment, but every indication shows WB, Snyder, Goyer and Affleck himself are treating this matter very delicately to deliver the best possible story, performance and film for the fans.
What do you make of Mr. Affleck's casting as the Caped Crusader, then? Let us know in the comments section below.