In order to fight effectively crime as Batman, Bruce Wayne needs to be in peak physical condition, and clearly that wasn’t an issue for Ben Affleck’s take on the character. Affleck played arguably the bulkiest version of Batman on the big screen yet, and the actor worked out so much for the role that he eventually got more ripped than his own stunt double, Richard Cetrone.
While recently speaking about his time on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Richard Cetrone spoke frankly about how much bigger Ben Affleck was compared to him while the two worked together, saying:
To be completely honest with you guys, I’m not a good double for Ben. He’s a much bigger man than I am. We’re the same height exactly, so there we’re good. But I’m guessing he’s about 235ish, and I’m 200-205, right around there. So he’s a lot bigger guy, but in the suit, it doesn’t matter as much.
During his visit on the Batman v Superman: By The Minute podcast, Richard Cetrone added that he could have bulked up for the Batman stunts to line up more with Ben Afflec’s physique, but he was instructed to stay around his normal weight so he could “move well” in the Batsuit. It’s also worth noting that Cetrone is over a decade than Affleck, with Cetrone being 54 years old when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was filming compared to Affleck being 43 when principal photography kicked off.
Physical training is pretty much mandatory for any actor playing a superhero, especially Batman (just look at Christian Bale’s physique in the Dark Knight trilogy). Still, there’s no denying that in terms of size, Ben Affleck had the edge over his predecessors. There’s even that montage showing Affleck’s Bruce Wayne going through a hardcore workout as he prepares for his fight against Superman, which you can watch below.
In addition to starring in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Ben Affleck reprised the Caped Crusader for a Suicide Squad cameo and as one of Justice League’s ensemble players. There were also plans for Affleck to not only star in a standalone Batman movie, but also direct and co-write it. However, The Batman slowly evolved into something much different, with Matt Reeves eventually taking over writing and directing duties, and Affleck exiting the project in early 2019, paving the way for Robert Pattinson to put on the cape and cowl.
While The Batman marks a new era for Gotham City’s Dark Knight in the cinematic realm, we’re not done with Ben Affleck’s iteration of the hero just yet. HBO Max is releasing Zack Snyder’s Justice League next year, so we’ll get to see how Batman’s depiction in The Snyder Cut compared to what was shown in Justice League’s theatrical cut, among numerous other differences.
As for what Ben Affleck is up to nowadays, he appeared earlier this year in The Last Thing He Wanted and The Way Back, and his upcoming movies include Deep Water and The Last Duel. You can also learn what other DC movies are on the way with our handy guide.
