So far, all signs are pointing to Ben Affleck's Batman radically different from the normal Caped Crusader that we're used to seeing on the big screen. This shouldn't be too surprising, given that Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice has been aiming to be as different from the rest of the previous DC Comics films as it can be since as well. This new Batman, so far, has been described as more seasoned and older than we're used to seeing him. But at the very least we know what hasn't changed: he still has the voice that makes the ladies pay attention.
Comic Book Movie picked up on an interview Jennifer Garner gave to Empire Magazine, stating that she has gotten a sneak peek at what Ben Affleck will sound like in the role of Bruce Wayne's costumed alter ego (as you would expect, given that she is Affleck's wife). And apparently she likes what she's heard. Said Garner,
"We were not privy to the Batman voice at home, but I've been on set enough to hear bits of it. It's spot on. Growly and decisive and sexy, if I do say so myself! Exactly what you would hope it to be!"
Now in the history of modern Batman, the two most iconic performances have been both Michael Keaton and Christian Bale's versions of the character. Thinking back to both of their interpretations on the voice, we can begin to imagine Ben Affleck being somewhere in the middle of the field. For comparison, here's a clip of Michael Keaton's performance in Batman. Note how he only slightly alters his voice, and mostly relies on the costume to mask his identity.
On the other side of the spectrum is Christian Bale's infamous vocalizations from The Dark Knight Trilogy. This is the voice that everyone loves to hate, though there are some defenders of Bale's choice to have a harsher, louder delivery of his lines. In either case, you can watch the interrogation clip from The Dark Knight below.
What does this mean in terms of what to expect from Ben Affleck's Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice performance? Well, it means that if he's tacking on a growly-yet-sexy voice to his performance, he's trying to strike a good balance between Keaton and Bale's performances. Fingers crossed that this is the sweet spot that audiences have been hoping for every since the days of the dulcet tones of Adam West's version of the Dark Knight.
Ok, we're kidding on that last one. Or are we? In any case, Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice hits theaters on March 25, 2016.
