Over two weeks since his long-rumored departure from portraying the DC Extended Universe’s incarnation of Batman was confirmed, Ben Affleck has commented on why he stepped down from starring in The Batman, the character’s first solo film in the shared cinematic universe.
While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote his upcoming Netflix original film, Triple Frontier, Ben Affleck spoke publicly about his decision from writing, directing and starring in the planned DCEU film.
“I tried to direct a version of it and worked with a really good screenwriter, but just couldn’t come up with a version; I couldn’t crack it,” admitted Affleck. “And so it was time to let someone take a shot at it. They’ve got some really good people.”
Ben Affleck had been working on the film’s screenplay with Aquaman co-writer and then-DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns before stepping down as writer and director, eventually replaced by Matt Reeves. While Affleck was still linked to the role when Reeves first took over, rumours persisted that the superhero would be recast with the confirmation made late last month.
Warner Bros. and DC aren’t giving up on Batman movies in the least, but with Ben Affleck stepping out of the picture and the studios shifting their focus to other characters for the foreseeable future, this might be the first step towards bringing the Dark Knight back into the fold in a way that makes him a more central part of the DCEU.
The Batman is written and directed by Matt Reeves. It is scheduled to be released on June 25, 2021.
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live
