We’ve known since last week that Ben Affleck is already working on the script for The Batman, which isn’t set to release for another two years or so. This, of course, should tell us something about how crucial this movie’s success is to DC and Warner Bros., even amidst the general impression that both Wonder Woman and Justice League (set for next year) are looking like solid improvements and positive steps forward.
Because in a lot of ways, Batman as a franchise/IP/moneymaker and so on is just about the most reliable tool these executives still have in their DCEU shed, so it’s good to know (or at least confirm for the few of you who aren’t convinced) that Ben Affleck is both taking this project seriously and being self-aware of the fact that messing this whole thing up is both possible and even expected by some of the naysayers who want Warner Bros. to give up entirely.
During an interview with IGN, Ben Affleck specifically said:
“Last night I spent (time) working on the script. I’m in full-on ‘trying to get it right mode’. It’s not the kind of movie that you can fail quietly at. You have to really be sure that I have something that I feel really confident about before we go forward.”
Sure, we all (hopefully) expect Affleck to be working hard and ahead of schedule, as none of us can surely stomach the whole “Sad Affleck” meme again. But what’s important here is that Affleck directly recognizes that the future of the DCEU is almost wholly affected by the success or failure of this movie and this character. It’s easy for a lot of people to suggest that Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad would have been held back considerably (financially and critically) if this character had been a travesty, rather than a favorite amongst just about everybody.
Whatever the case, The Batman (or whatever it’s going to be called) is yet to have a release date, but we’ll probably see it in late 2018.
Source: IGN
