Justice League Ben Affleck IS Bruce Wayne/Batman - Part 6

[Chip Chipperson]

GothamBat, the thing you need to understand is that Affleck might not want to commit to any more films, let alone an entire trilogy. We just don’t know.

And with the way things have been going since JL came out, I’d honestly be surprised to see him return.

 

[Greenlite]

At this point I'm not even sure Reeves is committed. One act submitted in like almost 18 months is a horribly slow pace. Films in pre-production usually already have a 2nd or 3rd draft in that time frame.

He actually didn't start until he was done with Apes in July then probably took a break, last we heard he was outlining the thing in Feb I think, so from outlining to first act done in 3 months...for a film that probably won't shoot till 2019 or more likely 2020....

 

[gdw]

Absolutely. Just thinking back to when a classmate of mine randomly noted how attracted she was to Batfleck and the multitude of times I come across folks who hate BvS yet were sold on his Batman to the extent of being THE Batman even if the "killing" thing bugged them.

Well, if the "killing" thing is a disqualifier, then the ONLY true cinematic Batman is George Clooney.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

If Ben decides not to come back, there really isn’t much they can do to make it a smooth transition. Their hands would absolutely be tied.

If I’m a betting man, I’d say that they recast the older Batman for the universe films with someone like Jon Hamm and let Matt Reeves do his thing in his own little corner with new actors/a completely different universe. Sucks, but this was the risk they took when deciding to kick off an interconnected universe with a Batman who is a few years away from 50.

 

[Micromind]

I don't think Reeves is doing a Trilogy, I had mentioned in past that Reeves may set his Batman movie in past before any superpowered Heroes showed up. Reeves may be doing exactly that, this doesn't rule out Affleck as the current "seasoned" Batman though.

I think (hope) that he will be seen in some other Batman related movie like Suicide Squad 2, as Affleck is under a contract to appear in one more DC movie, unless they don't want him to appear again anymore.

 

[idiot09]

At this point I'm not even sure Reeves is committed. One act submitted in like almost 18 months is a horribly slow pace. Films in pre-production usually already have a 2nd or 3rd draft in that time frame.

This is something Im worried about too. Seems slow. I had thought the movie would have started shooting by the end of the year minimum.

Also Idk why people immediately assume Affleck wants out. Could easily be the other way round.

 

[idiot09]

GothamBat, the thing you need to understand is that Affleck might not want to commit to any more films, let alone an entire trilogy. We just don’t know.

And with the way things have been going since JL came out, I’d honestly be surprised to see him return.

Things have actually gone well since JL except the Joker thing id say. Affleck returning makes sense in that light.

 

[idiot09]

If Ben decides not to come back, there really isn’t much they can do to make it a smooth transition. Their hands would absolutely be tied.

If I’m a betting man, I’d say that they recast the older Batman for the universe films with someone like Jon Hamm and let Matt Reeves do his thing in his own little corner with new actors/a completely different universe. Sucks, but this was the risk they took when deciding to kick off an interconnected universe with a Batman who is a few years away from 50.

Well considering its Reeves who wants to do a young Batman, and Affleck has said before he would love to work with Reeves and would play an ape for him, it seems its not his choice. I'm actually onboard with your idea if the older Batman is Affleck.

 

[GothamBat]

GothamBat, the thing you need to understand is that Affleck might not want to commit to any more films, let alone an entire trilogy. We just don’t know.

And with the way things have been going since JL came out, I’d honestly be surprised to see him return.

If you look at his interviews back when Snyder was attached to JL, he seemed very much committed to portraying the character long term. He talks about how the events of BVS have changed the character and how he'll be portraying his renewed outlook on life in JL and in subsequent movies.

The guy owns a Batcave in his house. He said "there isn't enough money in the world to make a bad Batman movie worth it".

Months (or even a full year?) after leaving directorial duties he was still going on about how he wants to direct a Batman movie eventually. It has nothing to do with a lack of interest or commitment. Nothing to do with him being burnt out or being insulted by journalists calling him fat in their articles, or morons tweeting "Marthaaa! LOL". It clearly all comes down to the creative side of things and the direction the franchise and his character are headed in.

He said it himself back when he was writing the script with Mr. "hope, heroics and fun" Johns: "If the script isn't good enough I'm not going to do it". With Josstice League, we got completely undeniable confirmation of what direction they intended to go in. They wanted to re-brand themselves as another MCU. That's probably the sensibilities Johns brought to the scripting process. Now he's gone and copying the MCU has proven to be a boneheaded idea, essentially making last year's "will he leave?" rumors null and void.

Now it all comes down to Reeves and Affleck and other stuff. He could still leave, for sure. I just think it's not logical to allow last year's debacle to substantiate your opinion on how likely he is to leave. That stuff likely isn't relevant anymore.

 

[Micromind]

It's possible that Reeves was not able to come-up with a sufficiently good story with "seasoned" Batman for his solo Batman movie and decided that it was best if he focused on a story with a younger Batman, leaving any chance of "older" Batman movie upto WB Execs, meaning that they need to find another writer and director for a movie with "older" Batman.

Why I'm saying this ? Because even in the scenario Affleck leaves, WB would need to find his replacement, around same age as Affleck and they would want to give him a solo movie too, unless the older Batman is forever supposed to guest appear in other DC movies (which would be odd).


So, it's possible that Affleck may stay and get his Batman movie too.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

I was referring to his personal turmoil when I mentioned “everything that’s happened since JL” but I see what you’re saying.

The role is very demanding, I’m just not sure he’s up for the commitment anymore, and that’s not a slight against him, it’s tough to do this job over other projects and getting/maintaining a Batman physique.

 

[GothamBat]

Like I said, the younger Batman route is absolutely the route I think they should/were going to take. Why else allude to the past and the harrowing, powerful, emotional events that took place in that time span, that shaped and changed Bruce into a what he had become when we met him in BVS? I'm pretty sure that if the solo movie had been allowed to proceed with Affleck directing, it still would have been a prequel with a peak Batman in his late 20s/early 30s. Why else would they age him up for BVS? If not to facilitate aging him down? I don't know how things will shape up in the end but I'd be pretty weirded out if they had no plans to set the Batman movies in those "20 years in Gotham" they alluded to so overtly.

So I personally don't see this "younger Batman" report as the ultimate proof of Affleck's departure that people seem to take it as.

 

[Aurakles]

Just an idea, what if the Reeves film is set in multiple times. Perhaps we cut between a young and old Batman, as he returns to some unsolved case from early in his career.

Might just be wishful thinking on my part, but I think it would be quite interesting.

 

[Micromind]

My thoughts on the "Joker movie" -

Todd Philips' Joker movie (starring Joaquin Phoenix) is an Else-worlds story, set in past. It's budget is (reportedly) just 55 mil.

I think with it, WB plans to launch alternate line of "dark comic book movies", it could be an 'R' rated movie (just a guess), this movie has NOTHING to do with current DCEU, so it is unconnected to what Matt Reeves has planned.

 

[Micromind]

I think it's surreal that currently we have DC movies slate without any heroes that DC was giving importance in past, that is, no movies with Batman, Superman or Green Lantern and still we are having DCEU running !


Who would have thought that WB would make movies on Aquaman, Shazam and Wonder Woman instead of making movies on Batman, Superman and Green Lantern, if someone had told me that in 2010, I would have laughed.

 

[GothamBat]

Just an idea, what if the Reeves film is set in multiple times. Perhaps we cut between a young and old Batman, as he returns to some unsolved case from early in his career.

Might just be wishful thinking on my part, but I think it would be quite interesting.

I did mention that possibility with the asterisk that it would make it fertile ground for bloggers to endlessly speculate about if/when the younger actor would take over the reigns.

 

[Micromind]

What if Affleck appears as Batman in Suicide Squad 2 ? It think it's going to be in pre-production phase soon, looking at Affleck's recent pictures, he may be getting ready for that. Also, it's going to be directed by the same director (Gavin O'Connor) who directed Affleck's The Accountant.


Maybe I'm thinking too much, but it wouldn't surprise me if it actually happens.

 

[Micromind]

In any case, Matt Reeves' solo Batman movie with a younger Batman gives them some time to find a suitable replacement for Affleck who is around Ben's age.

 

[GothamBat]

Seems like the sensible approach

 

[MbJ]

Christ Almighty, was there this much blowback over Andrew Garfield getting his walking papers?

There were a lot of people pissed when it was announced they'd be rebooting, but they got over it really quickly when Civil War came out. It's funny. The Amazing Spider-Man was pretty much the fastest rise and fall of a fandom I've ever witnessed. It was huge and then basically collapsed overnight.

 

[Micromind]

There were a lot of people pissed when it was announced they'd be rebooting, but they got over it really quickly when Civil War came out. It's funny. The Amazing Spider-Man was pretty much the fastest rise and fall of a fandom I've ever witnessed. It was huge and then basically collapsed overnight.

Andrew Garfield was not the problem, but he was the one who payed the price, similar to what happened with Brandon Routh. Both actors wanted to play the character they loved but got thrown out due to earlier movies' reception.

 

[Micromind]

Seems like the sensible approach

Source ? I want to believe this. let's hope for the best.

 

[STARMAN]

I love how a random source suddenly appears mentioning Reeves turning in material at the end of May right after the HR says it.

 

[_Superman_]

Andrew Garfield was not the problem, but he was the one who payed the price, similar to what happened with Brandon Routh. Both actors wanted to play the character they loved but got thrown out due to earlier movies' reception.

Agreed. I still wish Garfield was Spider-Man.

 

[GothamBat]

Source ? I want to believe this. let's hope for the best.

Heroic.Gateway apparently? Regardless of the source though, I do think business-wise it'd make the most sense not to preclude Affleck from staying and for the script to give everyone leeway as far as that aspect is concerned. Affleck being gone was purely speculative in the THR article. "The studio would not comment".