Ben Affleck was interviewed by his friend and collaborator Matt Damon in a conversation that touched on his time as Batman. In the interview, Affleck revealed that Damon was influential in him choosing a happier lifestyle, which resulted in Affleck walking away from the role of Batman.
Affleck was cast as Batman a few years ago when Zack Snyder was headlining the live-action cinematic universe for DC Comics. This would be DC’s answer to Marvel Studios growing world of live-action films, which is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The MCU is known for its crossovers between heroes, villains and a multitude of storylines. DC desperately wanted its own version, so it turned to Snyder.
When he went on to work on Justice League, Snyder suffered a family tragedy that led to him stepping away from the film, resulting in more studio intervention and Joss Whedon taking over directorial duties. Whedon's inappropriate behavior on Justice League and Warner Bros.' retooling of the film has been openly discussed by stars of the film before, and certainly not in a positive light. During the conversation with Damon for Entertainment Weekly, Affleck said that he no longer was having fun in the Batman role. "I didn’t like being there. I didn’t think it was interesting. And then some really [terrible] things, awful things happened. But, that’s when I was like, I’m not going to do that anymore," he recalled.
“In fact, I talked to you about it and you were a principal influence on that decision,” Affleck continued. The actor continued by stating that he wanted to do things that brought him joy. Affleck said he had fun “every day” while working on Ridley Scott's The Last Duel. While Affleck understands the allure of working on these comic book movies, it’s no longer something that interests him.
It seems like Affleck is just a victim of being in the middle of creative differences. Arguably the most comic-accurate and intimidating Batman that has touched the big screen, Affleck's Caped Crusader was a fan favorite after his debut in the controversial Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film.
While this is bad news for many comic book fans, it’s very great news for the actor. As disappointing as it is that fans won’t be able to see the full vision of the most dangerous live-action Batman, it’s very comforting to know that Affleck is no longer suffering. His happiness should always be the number one priority over anything else. Hopefully DC will cast a new Batman worthy of taking on the role and one that can exist within the universe established by Snyder.
The Batman will be in theaters on March 4th, 2022.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
