It’s fair to say that Ben Affleck’s tenure as Batman has not gone how he expected it to so far. From the initial backlash against his casting to the triple critical takedown of all three DC films he’s been involved in – Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League – it’s no secret that Affleck isn’t happy with the situation. In fact, rumours abound that he’ll soon up and leave the franchise, with WB having no choice but to recast the all-important role of the Dark Knight.
The whole thing has surely caused some bad blood between the two parties and now, Revenge of the Fans is claiming that their sources are telling them that Warner Bros. is disappointed that Ben Affleck has failed to become the “face of the franchise.” Apparently, the issue is with the fact that “he didn’t RDJ this thing.” In other words, WB was hoping Affleck would be the DC version of Robert Downey Jr., who’s been such a successful mascot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As with all the rumours surrounding Affleck’s relationship with the DCEU, you should probably take this with a grain salt. If true, though, then it could have major consequences for the actor’s future with the franchise. Word has it that Affleck is looking to back out of The Batman, with director Matt Reeves eyeing Jake Gyllenhaal as a possible replacement. If the studio really is feeling that Affleck’s let them down, then it sounds like a mutual split between the two parties could be on the cards.
In many ways, this would be a shame. Most fans rate Affleck’s take on both Bruce Wayne and Batman quite highly, often citing him as perhaps the most faithful version of the Caped Crusader ever portrayed on film. There’s definitely room for his interpretation to grow, too.
This promise may not be enough for WB, though, as they were clearly hoping for some instant Iron Man-like success. And obviously, this whole endeavour has been anything but that. Still, the DCEU will soldier on and as we wait to hear more on the future of Ben Affleck’s Batman, we can all look forward to Aquaman swimming into theaters on December 21st.