Ben Affleck To Team With DC’s Geoff Johns On Standalone ‘Batman’ Film

[StarLord]

http://deadline.com/2015/07/ben-aff...tertainment-warner-bros-comic-con-1201472921/

Here’s one for the Comic Con crowd to gnaw on. I’m told that Ben Affleck is teaming up with Geoff Johns to co-write a standalone Batman movie that Affleck will direct and star in after he completes his longstanding plan to helm his scripted adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel Live By Night. Johns has about as much comic cred as anybody around. He’s DC Comics’ chief creative officer and has written some of its best remembered comic book series including Green Lantern, Aquaman, Batman, Justice League Unlimited, The Flash and Superman. He has also written TV series superhero transfers Smallville, Arrow and The Flash, as well as the Supergirl project with Greg Berlanti for CBS.

My studio sources tell me that Affleck and Johns are well in synch and have more than found their rhythm. In fact, they are likely to turn in a script before the end of the summer, prior to Affleck going off to direct Live By Night in November. Affleck postponed that pic to star in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. The Batman movie would shoot after he finishes Live By Night, and the plot would reflect the Batman character that emerges after Batman V Superman and Justice League, the latter of which comes out November 17, 2017. DC and Warner Bros have set a long list of superhero movies that take the Marvel formula of interspersing characters from one film to the next, so it’s unclear when Affleck’s Batfilm will be slotted.

But it will clearly take priority and other movies might have to move to get out of its way. While Marvel’s Kevin Feige has defied the odds and turned one Marvel character after another into hit films, I have been somewhat skeptical about the DC films that Warner Bros has made a top priority. This is a confidence booster. The best Batman blockbusters had a real sense of visual authorship, originated by Tim Burton, with the latest arc by Christopher Nolan. Now it falls to Affleck, who’ll creatively steer the Batman franchise after directing the Best Picture-winner Argo, and co-scripting and directing the gems The Town and Gone Baby Gone. Helped by the collaboration with DC savvy Johns, this might be the most exciting news to hit the Con this weekend.

 

[Drz]

Geoff Johns attached is going to cause a havoc with some comic book fans, i'm already smelling the popcorn.

 

[Serpico Jones]

This is great news.

 

[flickchick85]

Johns is certainly my least favorite part of this news, but it's alright. He's not terrible.

 

[Gee]

Geoff Johns and Ben Affleck teaming up?

 

[PeterBenParker]

Amazing.

 

[scifiwolf]

I'm surprised not to see Terrio's name.

 

[Flint Marko]

Boom. I'm excited.
Part of me is hoping this will be a prequel.

 

[TX85]

Batastic news! Affleck directing and co-writing it with Geoff is awesome. Ben doing it is a great choice and I like Johns a lot

 

[Sawyer]

Are f***ing nerds still doing that thing where they act like Geoff Johns isn't one of the better writers dealing with mainstream superhero comics today?

Also...

While Marvel’s Kevin Feige has defied the odds and turned one Marvel character after another into hit films, I have been somewhat skeptical about the DC films that Warner Bros has made a top priority. This is a confidence booster.

Shut up, Mike Fleming.

 

[Gee]

I'm surprised not to see Terrio's name.

He wants to make a film and we can bet WB will give him one for what he's done with BvS and JL.

 

[Flint Marko]

Edit

 

[Slick]

This is good news

 

[flickchick85]

Are f***ing nerds still doing that thing where they act like Geoff Johns isn't one of the better writers dealing with mainstream superhero comics today?

You mean acknowledging the truth? Why yes, yes we are.

 

[-Arya-]

Sometimes I wonder why some people give Geoff Johns such a hard time. Sure, he's written some duds, but most of his stuff is excellent. Many of the comics in my collection are by him:

Green Lantern
Aquaman
Forever Evil
Justice League

The man is a great writer.

 

[Drz]

Arya you definitely need to add Flash, Hawkman and Justice Society of America to your collections.

 

[StarLord]

He's also helped a great deal with the DCTVU, and I'm not saying it's all his doing before people go into a cry baby mode.

The Flash is a great show.

 

[Sawyer]

You mean acknowledging the truth? Why yes, yes we are.

Don't be such a Lucille 2, flickchick.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I think everyone suspected Affleck would end up writing and directing the Batman solo film when he was cast. I'm fine with it, hopefully he can turn his hand to action as we know he can do the crime drama aspect of things.

 

[-Arya-]

Arya you definitely need to add Flash, Hawkman and Justice Society of America to your collections.

Thanks, I'll add them to my list of books to check out.

 

[flickchick85]

Don't be such a Lucille 2, flickchick.

 

[mclay18]

Shut up, Mike Fleming.

I second that. Guy has an ego problem and not giving credit where it's due, i.e. Latino-Review/Heroic Hollywood.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I'm not feeling Geoff Johns. Even if I can't stand his writing style, I can acknowledge that others find pleasure in his GL, Flash and JSA. But even his admirers agree that his Batman leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, many find that his writing reveals an undercurrent of disdain for the character.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Completely expected but great news nonetheless.

 

[Bruce Malone]

Am I the only one who's almost more excited for this than BvS?

I really like Afleck as a director more so than an actor really, so I'm quite excited to see what he can do.