Ben Affleck has two Oscars; now he’s getting a cape. Hot off a Best Picture win for his period thriller Argo, Affleck is stepping back in front of the camera to play Batman in Warner Bros‘ untitled sequel to Man Of Steel, which will bring the crimefighter together with Superman in a feature for the first time. The casting further solidifies Affleck’s relationship with Warners, which released Argo and is behind his next directorial effort Live By Night. Affleck’s July casting in David Fincher’s Gone Girl for Fox meant that Warners was allowing him to push back Live By Night, which he also stars in and is continuing to prep. The actor-filmmaker had been tight with Jeff Robinov, who left his post as Warner Brothers Pictures Group President in June after Kevin Tsujihara got the studio’s top job. When rumors of Robinov’s departure first surfaced, Affleck told Deadline’s Nikki Finke: “On the record, I don’t know what I would do if Jeff weren’t there. I don’t know from my view anyone else there who knows how to make movies. I would like to support him.”
Related: Superman Sequel Will Feature Batman In “Explosive New Film”
Man Of Steel director Zack Snyder is expected to reimagine the Batman character, whose pairing with Superman he announced at Comic-Con last month. Snyder said he won’t be drawing from the Dark Knight series. “I’ve pored through the DC universe for a way to tell this thing,” he said. Affleck will star opposite Henry Cavill, who will reprise the role of Superman/Clark Kent. The film will also reunite Man Of Steel stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane. David S. Goyer, who scripted the first film and worked on the Dark Knight trilogy, will pen the sequel. Warner Bros has set the film to open worldwide on July 17, 2015.“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman,” Snyder said in a statement. “He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”
It won’t be Affleck’s first time playing a superhero: He was the blind crimefighter in Daredevil a decade ago. He’ll don the Batsuit in the wakes of Michael Keaton (Batman, Batman Returns), Val Kilmer (Batman Forever), George Clooney (Batman & Robin) and Christian Bale (the Dark Knight trilogy). Affleck next stars in Brad Furman’s thriller Runner Runner.
In the announcement, Silverman stated, “We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some,” Greg Silverman, Warner Bros’ President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production, said in announcing the project. “His outstanding career is a testament to his talent, and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character.”
Bring back Charlie
Really bad cast. He is not good for sci fi movies. Not his genre.
But this movie is only for the money. But even so wil be crush by Avengers 2 and Star Wars 7 in 2015!
This casting decision is a disaster! Like you said, Petar, this flick will be crushed by the warriors of Shield and the Star Wars gang anyway, so I guess by destroying Batman like this, they have decided to ensure this Batman/Superman pairing will be a guaranteed write-off. I still remain in shock, however, that anyone thought this would be a good idea!
While I guess I’m not surprised by the predictable fan boy hate for this casting decision (isn’t there ALWAYS some cart before the horse outcry over these such things?) I am baffled that everyone is acting like Ben Affleck is somehow going to “ruin” this film. Excuse me, did you people see that over bloated pile of cinematic Ambien called “Man of Steel”? If you want to complain, complain that the folks behind that grey toned bore have been invited back for a second go round of “make it stop” film making! Ben Affleck is the concern? Really? Good gravy, how does his casting “wreck” something that is a sequel to what was a muddled, overlong dirge to begin with? In “Man of Steel” Superman found his ultimate Kryptonite and his name was Zack Snyder. I say lock Snyder up in Arkham Asylum and let Affleck direct this instead.
Dude, Star Wars ep7 has been moved to December, plenty room for Man of Steel 2. Avengers 2 will do very well, but back when Avengers was coming out people only cared about Iron Man. Man of Steel 2 has potential of out grossing all, as Batman Superman are 2 of the biggest superheroes. DC have made the right move allowing them to move into Justice League, everyone will accept a new Batman in the Man of Steel movie, whereas it would have failed introducing him in his own movie because its so soon after Nolan’s Batman and therfore no need for another origin story.
So yea, its not just about money, its about making a movie that audiences are more likely to accept.
And Affleck makes perfect sense, he’s a great actor, he’s done his time and now proved his worth in previous years, it just needs to be a story based film, take sci-fi out of the equation, its irrelevant.
I love you comment and i agree with you Ben is a great actor that has a lot of potential as the new Dark Knight, just think back when every body went crazy about Michael Keaton was selected as Batman nobody gave a &#$$* about his incarnation of batman and for me is the best batman that have ever been, think about Heath Ledger nobody thought about him as the Joker and let me tell you he was just perfect and everybody loves him now. history has proved wrong about people deferring on this matters, i speak for my self only, but everybody is going to eat those words as this movie is going to be awesome, not only that but Afleck is going to be a great Cape Crusader.
Exactly Peter. WB is shooting themselves in the foot here.
There are some guys who are only believable in certain roles. Take Clooney for instance. He was great in Up in the Air and the Oceans 11 franchise. But he was not all that suitable Batman.
This is the same for Ben Affleck. He’s far too Ben Afflecky. It is not going to work for the character of Batman, just as it didn’t work for the Daredevil character. I personally prefer the way Marvel cast their heroes, by using mostly lesser known names. Or even the choice of Bale, because he wasn’t well known and he didn’t have alot of baggage from previous films. I think both the WB and Affleck himself are doing themselves a huge disservice. Very disappointing.
“He’s far too Ben Afflecky”
THIS.
Whenever I see him on screen, I see the actor not the character. He needs to stay behind the camera from now on. .
Batman should be gritty not frat boyish.
I was excited for the movie until this casting. Sigh.
I don’t necessarily disagree, but you do realize that millionaire Bruce Wayne is the biggest “frat boy” of them all.
Dead on that Affleck is too “Frat Boy” to play Batman.
And Wonk, if you saw the last 3 Batman movies then surely you noticed that Bruce Wayne’s playboy persona is a fake one that he uses to fool the public, avoid suspicion that he is Batman. Bruce Wayne is no millionaire playboy, that’s just an act.
Is it April 1 already?
oh no no no! this is not going to be good! come on cristian bale do just 1 more batman please! you cant replace the original bat man pll!
Michael Keaton?
If Affleck had any dignity and understanding of one’s limitations, he’d gracefully bow out of this role. To be a ‘batman’, the guy needs to have a command presence, as Bruce Wayne and Batman. I don’t see it in Affleck. Batman needs to have a physique that reflects an individual who works diligently to be in shape. I don’t mean, just having some slight tone that says, ‘yeah, I do 10 pushups every morning’, but an imposing appearance. Henry Cavill, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Ryan Reynolds has made wearing body mold/balloon suits look bad. To be a ‘super hero’ these days, it’d be in your best interest to have the accompanying physique…unless you plan to play Iron Man. I’m sorry. That role’s already taken.
If he misses with this role, it’s career suicide.
Ben Affleck omg give me a break I will not go see this film this is not right the guy is not Batman or could be Batman worse choice since they got Clooney another Hollywood blunder
For anyone saying that casting Ben Affleck is a bad choice, wait till the movie comes out to bash it. I have a feeling he will do a good job because I think he will be playing more Bruce Wayne than batman, It is a superman sequel after all not a batman movie, and Affleck is perfect for Bruce. I do admit it will be interesting to see him as batman but I have faith that this will again be the biggest movie of the summer when it comes out. And for the rejects bashing man of steel, get a life, it was an great reboot with a believable modern superman that made me excited for the sequel.
Bummer
Jerry Bruckheimer just got a pass. There’s a new MASSIVE trainwreck in town, Lone Ranger!
Can you imagine the hysterical laughter at Marvel Studios today? Please get their reaction, Deadline team!
Why does Batman have to be rethought as a bald, 40+ man in decline? Why not a 25-year-old so they could build 3 or 4 movies with the same actor? It makes no sense.
They could have called Adam West – he only in his 80′s.
Ageism never dies.
True, but it does get old hearing it.
A 25 year old kiddie-Batman? Batman Jr? That’s what Robin is. See Chris O’Donnell in the 90s for the 20something Batman.
Batman has to be hardened and toughed up by life, he’s a brilliant crime-buster who is a veteran of the street’s darkest alleys. If you don’t like that Batman, blame Frank Miller, whose depictions of Batman made a permanent impression on the character.
I blame Sue Kroll.
Honestly don’t know how to respond to this. I like Ben Affleck and all but my first reaction is that this isn’t good.
True true..i have a bad feeling about this… x(
Listen, nothing against Affleck, but Batman? I don’t know. I’m having a hard time seeing it. Especially after the sensitive, everyday guy, someone you might actually know and who lives next door to you-type of roles he did so well in Argo and The Town. This superhero schtick just seems so … I don’t know.
Oh well. At the end of the day, they’re all desperate to headline a tentpole franchise.
I see what you’re saying, but I wouldn’t call his character in The Town “sensitive” or “every day”
Whyyyyyyyyyyy??? He ruined daredevil, why would they let him do batman.. But hey, I love Ben hopefully he will do the batman franchise some good, I’m sure he will do much better at it than George cloony
Affleck didn’t ruin Daredevil – FOX ruined it by releasing a watered down edit that cut at least a half hour to forty minutes of what Mark Steven Johnson originally shot.
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Coat
Actually, MSJ did. How else do you explain consistently horrible performances from good actors throughout the movie? (Plus, the Daredevil character was inconsistent — he let that dude get hit by the subway, but couldn’t bring himself to kill Bullseye or the Kingpin. [Unless I'm remembering incorrectly -- I only sit through bad films once.])
Re DAREDEVIL. I’ve seen the DIRECTOR’S CUT dvd. It, too, sucks ass.
Who is Mark Steven Johnson?
Exactly. Give it to Tom Rothman to f*cking up genre movies for an entire decade!
Tom Rothman is 58 years old. He’s too old to be Batman. I think
Eric Bana would be better.
Yeah, the original director’s cut version was sooooooooo much better.
Sorry, forgot the sarcasm tag. What was cut didn’t make it a better movie. It made it a longer crappy movie.
Seeing he played the real actor Superman guy in HOLLYWOODLAND, I guess it makes since to play Batman now.
Meh! I see they’re taking the “dark” out the dark Knight and just having him be Bat-man circa 1980′s like Michael Keaton. Affleck aint no dark knight
Ok….so what happened with Bale.
Ben may not be the best actor in the world, but the Christopher Nolan Batman movies, along with inception, are completely overrated. That’s my opinion and I’m not alone.
What really interest me, is what sort of work has Affleck had done over the past five years? I don’t mean his hair, I mean his face. I’d like to do the same.
Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy is the benchmark for the superhero genre in film. This is a view that is shared by most knowledgeable people. To try and run it down isn’t even credible. Snyder is going in a different direction, we’ll see if he delivers with Affleck in the cape and cowl. Bale’s Batman set a very high standard. Good luck to them all.
@sofj . Christopher Nolan reinvented the comic book genre big time , and his trilogy will stand the test of time – along with Inception. Do you really believe Zach Snyder will do a better job than Nolan ? Give me a break .
Bet you were a big fan of Batman & Robin.
Alicia was HOT as hell in the batsuit, what was not to like?
sofj, I pretty much agree with you. I think that Batman Begins was pretty much the perfect superhero movie along with Spider-Man 2, but TDK was tediously drawn out with a disjointed plot, no character development, and a mess of a third act that rushed over the Two Face character. TDKR at least had some characters to care about but it was riddled with plot holes (how DID Bruce return from the desert and get back into Gotham if the city was cut off, and if he could do it why didn’t he get everyone out the same way?) But don’t criticize these movies on message boards because the Talibatman fanboys, who’ve attached too much of their self-esteem to how these movies are perceived, can’t handle it.
It’s okay for you to admit you preferred the Schumaker version, guy.
“Tediously drawn out”. You’re one of two people I’ve seen call it tedious. The other was a kid with ADD who started running in circles at the two minute mark and never finished watching it.
Well, Frank, you’re one of the many pathetic fanboys I’ve heard respond childishly to the criticism of that overrated movie. It’s funny that you all rely on lockstep mob uniformity in your thinking to justify your point (“everybody else says it’s good”). Unlike you I have a mind of my own and form my own opinions. I don’t need groupthink mentality to get through life. Perhaps if you read more you’d find that there are many viewers and critics who find that movie tedious, but that would require stepping outside your insular, crybaby fanboy bubble and actually engaging in adult debate, and we both know you boys are too scared to do that.
FRE:”you all rely on lockstep mob uniformity in your thinking to justify your point (“everybody else says it’s good”). Unlike you I have a mind of my own and form my own opinions.”
and then you blather on…
“there are many viewers and critics who find that movie tedious…”
and you don’t see how you just committed the same fallacy yourself? your opinion is neutralized by your own logic.
I don’t think it was anything we haven’t already heard. He said repeatedly that ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ would be his last turn as Batman and that he didn’t want to play the character for anyone other than Christopher Nolan.
He’s remained completely consistent, but I think a lot of people just didn’t want to believe him.
No monkeygruge, I did not “commit the same fallacy.” Frank stated that he had only heard of two people who said the movie was tedious. I was merely pointing out that if he looked outside his myopic little fanboy bubble he’d find more than just two. I wasn’t using it to support my opinion, which is what fanboys do, merely pointing out why he heard so few opposing opinions. You and Frank need to work on your comprehension.
That’s a good question. I have a feeling there’s more to this than simply that Nolan won’t be directing, ergo Bale is done. Dark Knight Rises was only last year, Bale is still very much Batman to many – even more so Bruce Wayne, as any decent actor can put on the costume and play Batman; Bale really stood out as Wayne. And he’s the same age and fame level as Ben, its not like they went with someone much less known or much younger.
There’s more to this story I think.
Between the similarities in age to Bale, the fact they changed their tune from ‘in this world Superman is the first caped hero’ to ‘older, more experienced Batman’ and the fact that Bale and Affleck have the same agent, I really am starting to buy that Bale was offered crazy amounts of money and turned it down. Kudos to him if that’s the case, one person in Hollywood who can’t actually be bought.
Nolan is part of the Producing crew look it up on IMDB.
Bale says its a torch to be passed from one person to another and that its time someone else takes on the role.
This is a mistake of George Clooney proportions.
hollywood’s selective amnesia concerning affleck is comical
AGREED. Are they going to make Matt Damon Robin?
Kat — HA!
That would be true if George Clooney had been miscast as Batman, but he wasn’t. But I’ll take your bait . . .
This is a disaster of Jennifer Garner proportions. The bright, bubbly, fundamentally WASP-y Garner was so inappropriate to the role of the dark, intense, Greek (and quite ethnically so) Elektra that she sank not one but *two* Marvel franchises because Fox Studio just couldn’t get over the fact that they were able to sign her to a multi-movie contract. Which was a particular shame given that Ben Affleck was IMO a perfect Daredevil. He likes to say that the critical failure and box office softness of Daredevil was all his fault, but that was just him being a great husband to Garner, which is understandable when you consider that they met while filming the movie.
So, umm, Warner, do yourself and Affleck a favor — pull Affleck off Batman, cast him as The Flash, Green Lantern or Captain Marvel/Shazam! in the Justice League movie and just chalk it up to a moment of shared exuberance wherein superhero-chinned comics fan Affleck lands himself a high-profile superhero role.
It’s great that both Warner and Affleck want to be in the DC superhero biz together, but they’ve just got to cast him in a role he’s appropriate for, that fits his upbeat, working-class personality. Superman would have been a great role for him to play if it weren’t already taken — I mean, he’d already kindasortamaybe-ish played Superman in the great George Reeves biopic Hollywoodland, y’know — but miscasting him as Batman isn’t compensation for his not being able to play the role that he’s actually (Err . . .) suited for.
Sticking up for Jennifer Garner, Elektra made money (not that much, but at least in the black) and the film is shown over-and-over on the cable channels. Somebody must be watching?
Agreed . This is an enormous mistake . WB is desperate to compete with Marvel’s Avengers . The studio is kissing Ben Affleck’s behind , because of the firing of Affleck’s beloved Jeff Robinov . Ben has a decent directing talent , but he is a very wooden actor . Henry Cavill is boring , and Zach Synder is still a directing hack ( of course he will re-imagine the story , because he cannot come close to following in Christopher Nolan’s footsteps ) .
P.S. I have much respect for Christian Bale’s promise of not doing another Batman film without the involvement of Nolan .
Oh good God.
Now let’s get Cranston locked in for Lex Luthor please.
I am feeling Cranston for Gordon now….
gr8 choice for Lex Luthor – let’s get cranston !!!
Who the hell even wants Lex Luthor? They should be fighting Brainiac. WE’VE SEEN ENOUGH OF LEX LUTHOR!
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Coat
Why do you want Cranston as Lex Luthor? Oh yeah, that’s right, becuase he’s bald, that’s the ONLY reason why. This is why I had fan castings — they cast based on appearance and not based on whether or not that actor than properly portray and act the part.
Good call on Cranston as Lex Luthor. If he is a character in the script (should be).
I am sure half of the movie will be the origin story line…again (like as if nobody knows it by now). That seems to be the MO everytime the studio does a re-boot.
Affleck should just stick to directing.
Cranston would make a *much* better Commissioner Gordon — and we already know that because he’s *played* Gordon in the Batman: Year One animated movie. Heck, with his hair color, chisled jaw and the type of moustache he grows when he has one, he *is* Commissioner Gordon in the same way that Patrick Stewart is the older Professor Xavier.
I love Ben Affleck…but Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne? Really Warner Brothers?
REALLY??
Aflac has no weight,intensity or gravitas as an actor. He is a talented hustler,producer,player and obviously he sees the gargantuan winnings over at Downey’s table and wants in on the action now that they have let him onto the Keno pit. Ironically enough it might just make little difference with today’s technology. They will edit out all his goofy faux pas and limp choices, the hackneyed sighs and vacant wimpering, and digitalize a performance that enthralls the 12 year olds. Considering they preMarket the result with an advance campaign equivalent to Sherman’s march thru the South and this business-celebrity cannot lose.
Agreed. It will be huge and boring at the same time. Like Brad Pitt’s career.
Oh heck no!!! Worst choice ever! Thought the rumors for Orlando bloom were the worst possible choice, I was wrong!!!
First — how do ya them’ apple?!!!
bummer
Crap.
What!?? Lmao
It was as though a billion nerd voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I feel something terrible has happened.
Coltrane will you marry me? It’s legal no matter what.
LOL…
Now that’s funny.
Well not the worst. Hopefully he will be awake for this performance.
I am speechless.
Yikes! I like Ben Affleck…not Yikes!!
Well, there goes my hopes for this movie.
Richard Armitage was robbed. Luke Evans would have been good too. Hell, even Joe Manganiello would have been more interesting than Ben Affleck.
Stop making those guys happen. They don’t have what it takes. And in this case, it takes a star to fill in Bale shoes. Naked werewolf, one of 15 dwarves and a Musketeer from a flop don’t fit the bill.
No.No.No.No.
I rather have him be the screenwriter and/or director of this than have him being batman. Daredevil anyone? Even in Argo, a terrific movie, you can tell that Affleck’s acting isn’t that strong compared to others.
i too was hoping he would direct and star in the movie, and im disappointed that he wont be directing – not sure if he could direct such a movie.
Why would you do this Warner Bros? Why? Did you not see what happened with Daredevil? Do you not understand that he is not cut out for a superhero role? This is an awful choice. Justice League could be great with the right casting. You are dooming this film before it even has a chance. This is a sad day for me, as Batman is my favorite superhero. I can’t believe you are doing this.
First of all he didn’t DIRECT Daredevil…so why can’t he play another hero ? If CHRIS EVANS can suck as Johnny Storm and then be Captain America then why can’t Ben be Batman ?
Warner PR, you’re embarrassing yourselves. Nice try at weirdly spinning this misstep.
I think Chris Evans two superheroes performances — one absolutely horrible and the other fantastic — just speak to the fact that so much depends on the director. I was devastated when I first heard he was cast as Captain America — and look how it actually turned out. I think all of us should give Ben Affleck a chance. None of us saw the audition tapes. He has a lot of range as an actor. I have been surprised so many times in the past by actors pulling off roles no one thought they could, that my attitude is definitely one of wait and see.
if by absolutely horrible you mean his bland turn in bland Captain America, and by fantastic you mean his movie-saving turn as Johnny Storm in horrid Fantastic Four movies than you are right. He was the only saving grace in FF and a total snooze in CA. Though The Avengers utilizied him better because he wasn’t the lead and was allowed to show some sense of humor (Evan’s big stregth).