A new report may reveal details on Warner Bros.’ scrapped plans for a Batman movie with Ben Affleck starring as the Caped Crusader.
Coming as no great surprise, but a gut punch to comic book fans, Ben Affleck exited the role of Batman earlier this week. After his appearances in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Justice League, the actor confirmed his exit and said goodbye to the role as he wished director Matt Reeves well on his journey to bring the next adaptation of the DC superhero to the big screen.
According to Revenge of the Fans, should Ben Affleck and Warner Bros. have reached an agreement for him to return as Batman, the film would have featured Affleck bookending the film — think Wonder Woman — as the present day Batman. In addition, it seems Affleck’s Batman would have also played into the Birds of Prey spin-off starring Margot Robbie which is currently in production. A draft of the script was rumored to have made a big deal about Bruce Wayne being missing, but it is unknown whether or not this is the draft of the script that is actually being shot right now in Los Angeles, CA.
Ben Affleck was originally set to write, direct, and star in the next standalone Batman film but dropped out of directing the project two years ago, hoping to get the script right before starring in the film. Ultimately the studio ushered in Matt Reeves after his success with The Planet of the Apes franchise at 20th Century Fox. While Affleck’s script was rumored to have taken influence from the David Fincher thriller The Game, Matt Reeves opted to start from scratch and develop a whole new story for the next Batman film.
After submitting the initial draft of the script in September, Reeves delivered a re-write of the script over the holidays which is now gaining momentum as the film has been officially scheduled to hit theaters on June 25, 2021. The script itself is reportedly a whopping 160 pages.
Official plot details have yet to be revealed but Matt Reeves’ project has been long rumored to feature a younger Caped Crusader. In addition to The Penguin, a rogues gallery of Batman villains are also rumored to appear. While the film’s inspiration remains unclear, the director himself has confirmed that the film will not be directly based on Frank Miller’s Year One comic.
The Batman is one of the many projects currently being developed by Warner Bros. and DC Films, including The Flash standalone film, Green Lantern Corps, Black Adam, Cyborg, Supergirl, New Gods, and Nightwing.
Following Aquaman, which is now playing, the DCEU continues in April with Shazam! on April 5, 2019, which will be followed by Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, and Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020. A standalone Joker film set outside of the DC Films universe starring Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime is also set to hit theaters October 4, 2019.
Directed by James Wan, Aquaman stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry, Amber Heard as Mera, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, Patrick Wilson as Orm / Ocean Master, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Ludi Lin as Captain Murk, and Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry.
From Warner Bros. Pictures and director, James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, “Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be… a king.
Aquaman is now playing. Stay tuned to Heroic Hollywood for the latest news on the future of the current DC cinematic universe as we learn it.
Source: Revenge of the Fans
