Although more DC characters are making their overdue big screen debuts over the course of the next few years, there are those of us who will never complain about getting more Batman. And, despite the character already having headlined eight of his own outings and now being placed in team-up movies, one can’t help but yearn to see what Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight can do with two or so hours to himself.
While it’s been common knowledge for some time that Affleck’s iteration of the character will indeed get a solo film before the decade is finished, the title of said flick has remained a mystery – until now. In a recent interview promoting the release of his latest project, The Accountant, he confirmed his next journey to Gotham City bears the very title that fans and press have long been referring to it as: The Batman.
Here are the words from the man himself:
“The movie, I think, is going to be called The Batman. I think that’s what we’re going with now. I might change it. That’s about it, that’s all I got. We’re working on the script, it’s going well, I’m really excited about it, and I assure you, if anything develops, you’ll hear about it.”
I, for one, like the title and hope they keep it because it’s straightforward, simplistic, and the lack of a subtitle allows a new series of Batman movies to be built upon its foundation. Plus, it also calls back to the wonderful animated series titled The Batman that ran for five seasons a decade ago.
Affleck – who is not only donning cape and cowl again, but is also directing and co-writing the movie with comic book super scribe Geoff Johns – is confirmed to be joined by J.K. Simmons (Commissioner Jim Gordon) and Joe Manganiello (Slade Wilson/Deathstroke). Jared Leto (The Joker) and Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn) have yet to officially join the cast, but one can only hope and assume that two great talents playing two key characters from the mythos don’t go to waste.
As of now, The Batman does not have a concrete release date, but it’s a solid bet that it will arrive on either October 5, 2018 or November 1, 2019, both of which are dates WB has reserved for unnamed DC films.