Just When We Thought He Was Out, They Pull Him Back In And Shove Him Out A Final Time. Affleck Out As The Batman?
Hello nerds!
Do you miss the days when our biggest issue with Batman was Bat-Nipples or a gravelly voice? Well, you very well may after reading this. If a recent report from THR is true, we will indeed see someone else suit up as the Dark Knight in director Matt Reeves' The Batman. Yeah, this shit again.
A few weeks ago, we told you rumors were swirling that The Batman would not star Ben Affleck, only to then have Affleck himself kind of shoot them down at the Justice League panel at SDCC. Well, if the latest report from THR is true, then we will indeed see someone else suit up as the Dark Knight in director Matt Reeves' The Batman. Not only that, but word is that the film will take place in the oh so confusing "Standalone Universe" with the likes of the forthcoming Joker origin movie movie being produced by Martin Scorsese.
“Now, however, Warners wants to branch off with stand-alone movies that are unconnected to that version of the DC world. The new movies will have non-traditional takes on the heroes and villains of DC, and hopefully, attract actors and filmmakers who don’t typically toil in the comic-book movie world. War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is developing a Batman stand-alone that, according to sources, will not star Ben Affleck, who plays the caped crusader in the DC Universe movies (Warners and Affleck have denied he is being replaced). The plan is to launch a separate label for these projects to distinguish them from the rest of the DC films. (Warners executives are acutely aware of the risks of audience confusion.)”
Just what in the sweet fuck is going on over there? Now, while there is no official or definitive word from either the studio, Reeves of Affleck that confirms this news, there is also no official or definitive confirmation from any of them that Affleck will 100% continue to be Batman. And that's pretty damn telling in and of itself, but it's nowhere near the biggest issue looming overhead.
I, like most of you reading this, have zero problems with the multiverse. Real or in the comics. So, the idea of making these standalone films is utterly enticing as a concept and could serve to energize a new sub-genre of superhero movie, where more artsy or noir driven films can be based in the lore and be appreciated for not actually mattering to the base superhero universe. I point you to the Nolan Batman films as the first iteration and current gold standard of such films. WB/DC's problem is they're pulling the trigger way too early on standalone movies.
When the films of the "baseline" universe are still very much a work in fucking progress, you can't start a spinoff universe with movies based on Joker and Batman, two of the most important characters of the universe. One simply does not want to confuse and piss off the bulk of the audience. Especially when your current versions of those characters are by and large despised. Sometimes you have to Bat-Walk before you Bat-Run, right off a cliff.
