DC fans have launched a new social media campaign, demanding that Warner Bros. produce Ben Affleck's solo The Batmanfilm. While a simultaneous campaign to restore the SnyderVerse is still ongoing, fans are now using the hashtag #MakeTheBatfleckMovie to support the Batman film that Affleck was supposed to direct and star in.
After years of campaigning, fans got to see Affleck’s Batman return in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and the film has only encouraged more people to voice their demands. Since the film’s release, several trends have shown up on social media in favor of restoring Snyder’s vision for the DC Extended Universe, but the latest ones include Affleck’s film and another supporting Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke movie with the hashtag #DeathstrokeHBOMax.
When Affleck was first cast as the Caped Crusader, fans expressed a lot of skepticism about whether he would be able to do justice to the character. However, when he first made an appearance in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, fans changed their approach, with many believing he was the best Batman thus far. There were plans for a solo Batman film, with Affleck and Manganiello’s characters going up against each other, a plotline that Snyder set up in his version of Justice League. But, since its inception with 2013’s Man of Steel, Snyder’s vision for the DCEU ended when the director had to leave Justice League mid-production.
Snyder had several plans for his franchise, none of which came to fruition after Joss Whedon was brought on board to direct Justice League. Before Snyder even left, Warner Bros. had a lot of issues with the way the storyline of the DCEU was progressing. They decided to cancel many projects, including the sequels Snyder planned for Justice League. Amidst all the changes, Affleck eventually decided to step away from The Batman project and hang his cape.
Since the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a lot of information has been released online about what Affleck’s The Batman project could have been like. It was confirmed that Batgirl would also be making an appearance, with screenwriter Chris Terrio claiming in past interviews that Affleck’s Caped Crusader was meant to be “an even darker character” than what was portrayed in Batman v Superman.
While it doesn’t seem like Affleck’s solo film will be a reality at this point, fans aren’t giving up on their dreams of seeing the actor taking the lead again. He will be donning the cape once again, though, in the upcoming The Flash film along with Michael Keaton. While this news had fans excited, they are now demanding more, even though another The Batman film, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, has already completed production and is expected to release next year.
The Batman is scheduled to be released in theaters on March 4, 2022.
Source: Twitter/#MakeTheBatfleckMovie