It has just been revealed that Warner Bros. is thinking of dropping off actor Ben Affleck as Batman. The plan was revealed after Warner Bros. started plotting the story for the franchise.
Ben Affleck as Batman
American actor and filmmaker, Ben Affleck was introduced as the new Batman and Bruce Wayne in the movie, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which was released in 2016.
He reprised his role for a short cameo in the 2016 movie, “Suicide Squad.”
Affleck will once again reprise his role as one of the main characters in the upcoming DC movie, “Justice League.” He will be reuniting with Gal Gadot and Henry Cavill, who portray the roles of Wonder Woman and Superman, respectively.
He is also currently working on a new standalone Batman movie, tentatively titled "The Batman." Warner Bros. have pushed the upcoming film back to a 2018 release.
Affleck was initially set to direct the upcoming “Batman” film but had to turn it down because of other commitments. Matt Reeves ("War for the Planet of the Apes") replaced him and Warner Bros. have yet to release updates on the production of the film.
Warner Bros. plans graceful exit for Ben Affleck's Batman
However, it seems like fans might not be seeing Affleck as Batman after "Justice League." According to The Hollywood Reporter, a source from Warner Bros. revealed that they are planning to give the actor a quiet exit as Batman.
The source added that Warner Bros. is currently plotting the franchise and they are also addressing a change in some of their upcoming DC films. Warner Bros. studio chief, Toby Emmerich explained that the studio wants to keep Affleck as their Batman as long as they can but they are already contemplating the possible change in the franchise so they are working on a plot to usher out Affleck’s batman.
Some have pointed out that Affleck, who will turn 45 years old next month, is being given a graceful exit because he is reportedly too old to be portraying Batman and Bruce Wayne anymore.
Reeves revealed that he is also actually pushing for a “Batman” trilogy but by the time it hits theaters, Affleck will have reached 50.
If the plans push through, fans will see a new Batman actor and the character who will succeed Bruce Wayne’s legacy might even be introduced in one of the upcoming DC movies. Aside from “Justice League,” Affleck has only worked on one other upcoming movie - “Bending the Arc.” Affleck will still be attending the San Diego Comic-Con to promote "Justice League."