One of the runaway hits of last season, "Batman Vs Superman Dawn Of Justice," left fans of actor Ben Affleck feeling vindicated after many had criticised him as a poor choice for the iconic role. Ben's performance was exceptional and landed him in the driver's seat for the Batman centered film entitled, "The Bat." Among the choices for director were Matt Reeves, who directed "Cloverfield," "Let me In," "War for the planet of the apes," and is both director and executive producer of "The Passage."
Matt Reeves declined the offer
And now Ben has announced that he's going to stick to playing the hero, producing the movie and co-writing the screenplay with Geoff Johns.
Warner Brothers supports Affleck's decision and intends to bring the picture to screens. Zakk Snyder, director of "Batman Vs Superman Dawn Of Justice," is in the process of bringing "Justice League" to screens possibly by November. Zakk answers many questions about that film and certainly doesn't have time right this minute to direct this one... That may change after November though. Crossovers with Suicide squad aren't anticipated but the films are all existing in the same universe, if at different times. This according to Deborah Snyder.
Will this timeline involve Superman in "The Bat?"
That doesn't seem likely. Superman isn't absolutely guaranteed to make an appearance in "Justice League" yet.
Ultimately a director may choose to set the script against a backdrop that incorporates elements from between the timelines of the films. Certainly, the battle between Batman and Superman will have some affect on the story. Most likely the rumors of the script focusing on Batman as more of a detective and crime solver aren't far from the mark, leaving little room for cameos or tacked on origin stories.
Which 'Batman' comics inspired Affleck's 'Batman'
Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" is widely credited as the inspiration for this version of Batman. Tying this character into a leader for "Justice League" which is a much lighter comic, will be an interesting contrast indeed. The need for a director who understands that contrast is pivotal to the success of this film and in some ways the franchise's overall reception. In a way, it's almost perfect for Kevin Smith, who definitely knows comics better than any director I'm aware of.
