Ben Affleck will stay in front of the camera for ‘The Batman’ solo movie after stepping down as director…
Ben Affleck will still be playing the Dark Knight in the upcoming solo film tentatively titled ‘The Batman’ but he will no longer serve as director as first expected.
According to Variety, Affleck came to the decision alongside the executives at Warner Bros. but he will still star and serve as a producer on the project.
“There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions,” Affleck said in a statement. “Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require. Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film.
“I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director. I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”
Affleck’s exit as director reportedly had nothing to do with his last film ‘Live By Night’ being panned as a commercial flop for the studio after he had hit several home runs in a row directing films such as ‘The Town’ and ‘Argo’.
Affleck worked on the script for the solo ‘Batman’ film alongside DC’s Geoff Johns but ultimately he will team up with the studio to find a suitable replacement to direct the film. Matt Reeves, who helmed the upcoming ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ is apparently on the short list of directors who could lead ‘The Batman’.
This is just the latest in a long string of fumbles for Warner Bros. and DC as they’ve continued to try and launch a shared universe in films similar to what Marvel has done for several years. Unfortunately, ‘Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice’ was nowhere near the hit Warner Bros. had predicted it to be and then ‘Suicide Squad’ was mauled by critics, although the film did very solid business at the box office.
Warner Bros. and DC have also faced a litany of issues getting ‘The Flash’ movie off the ground with several changes in directors as well as recently hiring new writers to rework the script for the film headlined by Ezra Miller.
Next up will be ‘Wonder Woman’ which opens on June 2 ahead of the ‘Justice League’ movie being released on November 17.
