Hot on the heels of Variety‘s report yesterday that Ben Affleck is in the running to direct and star in a potential Justice League film, Deadline has already stamped out the rumour, stating the actor-turned-director will not take the gig. Affleck has been chased by Warner Brothers for several projects recently, including the upcoming Superman reboot Man of Steel, but it seems the Justice League film won’t be going to him either.
Deadline quickly quashed the rumour by insisting that Affleck’s reps told the website that he won’t be involved with the film. He might make it to a meeting or two, but don’t expect things to go further than that – history shows that he’s wanting to keep away from superhero movies. Maybe he’s having flashbacks to his short stint as Daredevil?
Anyway, the Justice League film is Warner Bros.’ answer to Joss Whedon’s runaway hit The Avengers, so they’ve got their work cut out in finding a suitable director to take on the challenge.
Affleck wouldn’t have been my first choice to fill this quota, despite his work on films such as The Town and Gone Baby Gone, both of which show that he’s far more talented behind – rather than in front of – the camera. Everyone’s first choice for future DC superhero movies, Christopher Nolan, has already said he won’t be involved with the project, so that puts him out of the picture too.
So who will end up taking on the role? Could Zack Snyder be on the cards? The success of Man of Steel (which Snyder is directing) will surely have something to do with that, but by the time that’s released, production on the Justice League movie should be well underway. Warner Bros. might have to look elsewhere to get the ball rolling faster.
We’ll keep you posted on more Justice League info as we get it, but let us know who you’d like to see behind the camera in the comments below.