Ben Affleck's fingerprints are going to be all over the upcoming DC film slate. After joining this cinematic universe as the Caped Crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Affleck filmed scenes for David Ayer's Suicide Squad; he's rumored to appear in Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman movie; he recently assumed an executive producer's role for Justice League; and he's been attached to a solo Batman movie that he's rumored to be developing with fellow DC leader Geoff Johns. Affleck, in a perfect scenario, would co-write, direct and star in this solo, standalone Batman film, only, the movie might not be as far along in the process as fans may have hoped.
On the London set of Zack Snyder's Justice League movie, Ben Affleck took time to speak with us and a small group of select journalists about his return to DC and the state of his anticipated Batman movie. What Affleck had to say about the project isn't the best news... until you step back and realize that what he's saying is EXACTLY what we need to hear at this moment. He tells us:
I think they have a date for it. Though I don't know if I'd necessarily be able to make that date, because I don't have a script that's ready yet. So that's my... My timetable is just that I'm not going to be ready to make a movie until there's a script that I think is good, because I've been on the end of things when you make movies with a script that's not good. It doesn't pan out. [Laughs] I have a script. We're still working on it. And I'm not happy enough with it yet to make, to actually go out there and make a Batman movie, for which I'd need to have the highest of standards. It's something that would have to pass a very high bar for me. It's not just, like, 'Yeah, this one might be fun. Let's go bang this out!'
The rumored date that Ben Affleck is speaking of is October 5, 2018, which Warner Bros. recently claimed for an as-yet-untitled DC movie. Most jumped to the conclusion that it would be the Batman Solo Movie, as DC already has The Flash and Aquaman programmed to reach theaters that year. But from what Ben Affleck is saying, he's not ready to commit to that date yet, and his reasons are the best possible reason any director should be able to give. Who wants Affleck to dive into his first Solo Batman Movie with a half-baked script? He clearly has passion and reverence for the character, and if he's going to mine Batman's history to make an outstanding Solo Batman Story, he knows he has to do it right.
It's not like we'll be starving for more Batman between now and then, as it is. Ben Affleck's version of the Caped Crusader will have scenes in this year's Suicide Squad. He's the team leader in Zack Snyder's Justice League, hitting theaters on November 17, 2017. Even if Affleck's Batman movie gets pushed back, wouldn't you rather he have that time to perfect the script, and make the best possible Batman movie that he can?
Look for Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which hits DVD shelves soon. And be thankful that Affleck's being protective of this hero, and of his movie. It means we're likely to get a better version of a Batman movie than we initially expected.
