It’s a frustrating time to be a fan of The Batman. Every time we get what appears to be a positive update about the Caped Crusader’s next solo outing, Ben Affleck (who will write, direct and star in the movie) dashes our hopes by saying that he still hasn’t decided to move forward with the project as he looks to get the screenplay just right. It’s impossible to fault the filmmaker for that, but The Batman needs to happen sooner rather than later, especially after the DCEU got off to such a rocky start in 2016.
Despite reports to the contrary, it actually sounds like Affleck may be further along with the project than he’s letting on, as he may have already decided where to shoot the movie. Apparently, that will be Los Angeles, and while it’s not clear whether the majority of filming will take place on the streets of LA or inside a studio, this is definitely good news, as it means progress is being made.
LA is an interesting choice, too, especially as the City of Angel’s skyline and streets will be doubling for Gotham City. Christopher Nolan used parts of Los Angeles for The Dark Knight Rises but primarily set Gotham in Chicago, while Zack Snyder chose Detroit for Dawn of Justice. With any luck, this news means that hopefully an official release date for The Batman isn’t too far off now.