Audiences got their first taste of Ben Affleck’s Batman this past weekend with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but the actor’s journey as the Caped Crusader is just beginning. After making a minor appearance this August in Suicide Squad, Affleck is confirmed to co-lead 2017’s Justice League: Part One and 2019’s Justice League: Part Two. On top of those, there’s also the Batman solo movie reportedly being worked on. Warner Bros. has yet to officially order or schedule it, but to help make it become a reality, Affleck is writing his own script.
Endeavor co-CEO Patrick Whitesell told The Hollywood Reporter that on top of the DC movies Affleck is already slated to appear in, the actor also his own idea for a Batman movie that he's put on paper…or more likely a word processor. Whitesell said:
He's contracted to do at least Justice League One and Two, so at least three times wearing the cape. There's a script that he's written that is a really cool [Batman] idea, so that's out there as an option.
Although there’s been a lot of talk about Ben Affleck directing a Batman movie given his success with Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo, this also isn’t the first time the possibility of Batman writing the Dark Knight’s new solo movie has been brought up. It was reported last summer that he was co-writing a Batman movie with DC’s Chief Entertainment Officer Geoff Johns. Affleck recently stated that he wants a little more distance between the new Batman movie and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, but considering how passionate he is about the character, it's good to hear he’s gone the extra mile and detailed his own idea. Warner Bros., make sure to take a look at it.
Given that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice gave moviegoers a Batman who has been protecting Gotham City for 20 years, it’s unclear whether a new Batman movie would take place at an earlier point in his crime fighting career or follow after his earlier DCEU appearances. The only official clue provided about the project so far is when Geoff Johns said the movie would focus on the tragedies of Batman’s past, namely the Robin who was killed by The Joker. In the comics, Jason Todd was the Robin who died, and one report suggested the movie might see the DCEU’s Todd coming back to life as The Red Hood. Unless Affleck offers a hint/clue about what his Batman movie would be about, all we can do is speculate about its plot, though I hope he’s at least included a villain that hasn’t appeared on the big screen yet. It’s time to give some of Batman’s lesser-known rogues a chance to shine.
You can currently see Ben Affleck’s Batman in action in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and he’ll briefly pop into Suicide Squad on August 5. As for the Batman movie, we’ll keep you updated on any progress regarding its development.
