Batman/Bruce Wayne Casting Thread - Part 1

[Sawyer]

You guys can discuss the quality of his work all you like, but the thing I keep coming back to is... he doesn't need this.

This isn't Reeve/Jackman/Hemsworth/Gadot, etc. where the role is what put them on the map. He was already a big name. And this isn't an RDJ situation either, where the role gave him his career comeback. A film he directed won Best Picture less than a year before his casting as Batman was announced!

So this whole thing is almost like a hobby/side-project for a guy like him. And if your side-project has gotten the response that his Bat-movies have gotten, wouldn't you just be like "F*** it" and throw in the towel?

 

[EyesOnly]

You guys can discuss the quality of his work all you like, but the thing I keep coming back to is... he doesn't need this.

This isn't Reeve/Jackman/Hemsworth/Gadot, etc. where the role is what put them on the map. He was already a big name. And this isn't an RDJ situation either, where the role gave him his career comeback. A film he directed won Best Picture less than a year before his casting as Batman was announced!

So this whole thing is almost like a hobby/side-project for a guy like him. And if your side-project has gotten the response that his Bat-movies have gotten, wouldn't you just be like "F*** it" and throw in the towel?

Why would he need a reason to do this just because he's established? Perhaps he just wants to. Maybe it's interesting for him. Maybe he's a glutton for punishment. Who knows, but I get the feeling that his prior struggles is always kept in the back of his mind and therefore won't throw in the towel so easily.

 

[Sawyer]

Of course, he wants to. That's the thing. From a career standpoint, this is a want, not a need. And you know what? He got his own suit, he got to drive the Batmobile, and he had some laughs. He got the Batman experience. But it's time to go.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

And Affleck is back in rehab for drinking again. That makes 3 times in around a year. The guy clearly has some serious issues he's still dealing with, and I don't think someone whose head is that messed up needs to be trying to headline something of this level of importance for the studio. It's too much pressure, and he clearly doesn't handle it well.

 

[LaughterLives]

You guys can discuss the quality of his work all you like, but the thing I keep coming back to is... he doesn't need this.

This isn't Reeve/Jackman/Hemsworth/Gadot, etc. where the role is what put them on the map. He was already a big name. And this isn't an RDJ situation either, where the role gave him his career comeback. A film he directed won Best Picture less than a year before his casting as Batman was announced!

So this whole thing is almost like a hobby/side-project for a guy like him. And if your side-project has gotten the response that his Bat-movies have gotten, wouldn't you just be like "F*** it" and throw in the towel?

The thing is, The guy is a smug bastard who thinks he could do whatever he wants.
I mean this is the same guy that spent like $107,000 on a toilet for J.Lo when they were engaged.
If they decide to keep Affleck around then they should get this waste bucket to play Midas or something.
He'll just continue to ruin Batman if he has any say in it. He's absolutely the wrong guy. You're right that he doesn't need this and WB needs to realize this and just cut him loose.

 

[shauner111]

This is a guy who's friends with the biggest liar in Hollywood (Damon), lies about the Weinstein crap, like a smug a hole admits in front of a camera that he uses his name to get out of **** like parking tickets or getting pulled over. He's a 40 something year old brat *****e who deserves to be gone from the business but will continue only because of his connections and the fact that he's a tall white guy with a square jaw. The dudes last movie was terrible in every way. Why would I want to see him play batman again or even direct one?

This universe sucks. Ben Affleck sucks. This Batman sucks. Let's move on to something that doesn't suck shall we?

 

[Boom]

I liked it better when Affleck kept his mouth shut on his future as Batman. Now he's just stoking a pointless fire. Some fans are going to hang onto every word of this until the bitter end.

If Reeves doesn't want him in the role, then this is all a moot point. He's not going to be Batman whether he wants to or not.

 

[Frodo]

He's had three stints as the Batman. Thats more than Keaton, Kilmer or Clooney and tied with Bale. That's enough.

 

[EyesOnly]

I liked it better when Affleck kept his mouth shut on his future as Batman. Now he's just stoking a pointless fire. Some fans are going to hang onto every word of this until the bitter end.

If Reeves doesn't want him in the role, then this is all a moot point. He's not going to be Batman whether he wants to or not.

Well news is news, BS or not. It's slow around the holiday season, and to be fair, Affleck never said he wasn't playing Batman anymore. I almost wonder if he needs the role to keep him busy with everything that's going on in his life. Who knows. I like Affleck as Batman, but i'm realistic about all this. Probably won't find out what the hell is going on for some time, but....if nothing else, it's worth some chatter in here.

 

[LaughterLives]

He needs to go back and more KEvin Smith movies.
That's literally the only thing he's good at.

 

[Bruce Malone]

 

[KevTravels]

this whole situation is a joke now.

They'd be lucky to get Gyllenhaal with all this drama surrounding Affleck.

 

[KevTravels]

Affleck is a big star but he should recall his career was saved by 2 films he directed. The Town in 2010 and Argo in 2012. Both hits.

Those got him Gone Girl which was a big hit.

But it's not like he's had a bigger hit (than GG) in 12 years. He can't demand things like bigger stars. He's easily replaceable IMO.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Well news is news, BS or not. It's slow around the holiday season, and to be fair, Affleck never said he wasn't playing Batman anymore. I almost wonder if he needs the role to keep him busy with everything that's going on in his life. Who knows. I like Affleck as Batman, but i'm realistic about all this. Probably won't find out what the hell is going on for some time, but....if nothing else, it's worth some chatter in here.

The only thing new is the bit about him still wanting to direct a Batman movie. And even that appears to have been overstated by the usual click-baiters given the full context of his remarks.

I want to direct a Batman movie, and I never got a script that I was happy with, so they are starting over and writing another script. And right now, I think a lot of different possibilities I think for the way the DC Universe could go, and I will just follow my interests in pursing that. And I know that I love working with this group of people, and it was a real joy for me to make this movie.

The rest is just more of the same vagueness we've come to expect from him of late.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

this whole situation is a joke now.

They'd be lucky to get Gyllenhaal with all this drama surrounding Affleck.

I just hope it isn't putting a hindrance on Reeves' plans for the character, but who am I kidding? This is WB we're talking about here.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

I just hope it isn't putting a hindrance on Reeves' plans for the character, but who am I kidding? This is WB we're talking about here.

The DCEU is in such a ****ed up state right now. I can't believe I'm saying this because not that long ago I was saying just the opposite, but they should use The Batman as another reboot point. They clearly aren't confident AT ALL about the DCEU future, and can you really blame them?

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

The DCEU is in such a ****ed up state right now. I can't believe I'm saying this because not that long ago I was saying just the opposite, but they should use The Batman as another reboot point.

I don't expect anything to change unless there's some kind of management shakeup at WB, one that eventually gives rise to a more cohesive infrastructure with a singular vision. How do they expect to compete with Marvel when they can't even get on the same page with directors of their own choosing?

They clearly aren't confident AT ALL about the DCEU future, and can you really blame them?

Not to worry. With Aquaman, Shazam, and a Whedon-helmed Batgirl film on the horizon, the future is bright.

Spoiler

 

[Sawyer]

The DCEU is in such a ****ed up state right now. I can't believe I'm saying this because not that long ago I was saying just the opposite, but they should use The Batman as another reboot point. They clearly aren't confident AT ALL about the DCEU future, and can you really blame them?

They're not confident at all? THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CAUSED THIS!

They could've taken a pause after BVS got the reception it did. They could've cut Zack loose. They could've done a number of different things that would've led to a better result than this (even if I really didn't dislike JL at all). But, as we now know, they chose to keep going with JL so their f***ing AT&T deal would look good or whatever idiotic reasoning they had, so instead of getting ahead of the problem, it instead became about trying to fix stuff after the fact.

If we want a better future here, Tsujihara needs to go, Zack needs to stay gone, and WB needs to stop (if this is, in fact, what they're doing) laying the blame at Geoff Johns' doorstep.

The problem isn't DC. The problem is Warner Bros as a whole.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Who is this? McAvoy?

 

[Bruce Malone]

Yup.

 

[KevTravels]

Looks good but he's about 4 inches too short for the role. Hammer for example is probably 3 inches too tall to be Batman.

Hammer was rumored for Green Lantern right?

 

[KevTravels]

I'm curious if this film would be given a ridiculous budget like say 250 million or would Reeves try for something more down to earth/noir feel with say like 150-180 million?

I'm sure Gyllenhaal would cost them 10 million. Heck maybe even 20 to secure him.

I really wanna see him in the role but he's got a few more Oscar/indie type projects on his plate soon.

 

[FatRobin]

I'm curious if this film would be given a ridiculous budget like say 250 million or would Reeves try for something more down to earth/noir feel with say like 150-180 million?

I'm sure Gyllenhaal would cost them 10 million. Heck maybe even 20 to secure him.

I really wanna see him in the role but he's got a few more Oscar/indie type projects on his plate soon.

I'd like the latter. Less big budget flashy stuffs please, this year's been full of it

Although, would something like that also make less money? I mean, most people pay to see explosions and CGI battles for these movies, not some slow-burn, well-written detective stories. Reeves' War for the Planet of the Apes making little money despite being highly praised was an example of that.

 

[Boom]

Gonna throw a new name into the hat.

Christopher Abbott, aka Kit Harrington's clone.

Gave one of the best performances of 2015 in James White.

 

[Sawyer]

I'd like the latter. Less big budget flashy stuffs please, this year's been full of it

Although, would something like that also make less money? I mean, most people pay to see explosions and CGI battles for these movies, not some slow-burn, well-written detective stories. Reeves' War for the Planet of the Apes making little money despite being highly praised was an example of that.

If it were to make less money, having a smaller budget would at least make it look less catastrophic. Because as we well know, putting $300-400 million into it isn't any guarantee.