Despite previous comments made by James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, former Batman actor Ben Affleck has no desire to direct a DC movie. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck also discussed his upcoming appearance as the Dark Knight in The Flash.
Affleck was cast as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was the second installment of Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe storyline. Many fans criticized Affleck’s portrayal of Batman as a killer who did not hesitate to eliminate his enemies. However, after the release of Justice League in 2017 and Zack Snyder’s Justice League in 2021, many fans grew to appreciate Affleck’s darker interpretation of the character. Despite this, with the recent appointment of Gunn and Peter Safran as co-heads of DC Studios, and their mandate to create a new, cohesive storyline with DC characters, it is expected that a new actor will take on the role of Batman.
After James Gunn’s previous comments, there was speculation that Ben Affleck could potentially direct a DC movie for the new DC Studios. Affleck had been slated to direct “The Batman“ before Matt Reeves took over the project. However, despite fans’ desire for Affleck to continue playing Batman, he has expressed no interest in directing another DC movie in the future, which may disappoint fans who are still unhappy with the new direction of the DC Universe.
From what we have gathered about the new DC Universe (DCU), it appears that James Gunn is heavily involved in all upcoming film and television projects, having written scripts for both Superman: Legacy and Creature Commandos. This suggests that Gunn and Peter Safran desire complete autonomy over the DCU to ensure that their new storyline is coherent and devoid of plot holes. While this strategy is reasonable, it seems that Ben Affleck, if he ever returned as a director, would prefer to have more creative control. Although it is disappointing to hear that Affleck is leaving DC for good, his position is understandable.
In The Flash, Ben Affleck will bid farewell to Batman
Despite not directing any future DCU projects, Ben Affleck will make an appearance in The Flash as Batman, alongside Michael Keaton’s iteration of the character.
The film, which stars Ezra Miller as the Flash, promises to rewrite the DC timeline and feature multiple Batmen, providing a perfect opportunity for a soft reboot of the DC universe. Affleck expressed excitement about his return as Batman in The Flash, stating that he finally figured out how to play the character and nailed it for his five minutes of screen time.
The Flash is set to be released on June 23, 2023, marking Affleck’s final appearance as Batman.