Ben Affleck On How His Batman Differs From Christopher Nolan & Christian Bale’s

The December issue of Studio Ciné Live (via batman-news) has Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice on the cover, and inside, an interview with Ben Affeck. He discusses how his Batman differs from the one we saw Christian Bale play in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy and compares Jesse Eisenberg to Oscar-winner Heath Ledger.

Affleck was asked if he studied Christian Bale’s performance to distinguish himself. “I don’t want to compete with other incarnations, nor do I want to emulate them,” Affleck told Studio Ciné Live. “Those versions belong in another universe. Christopher Nolan used his Batman to tell a finite story. My version is different, but remains faithful to the Batman mythology and all the themes associated with it. The other difference is that Nolan’s Batman isn’t part of a universe where other superheroes exist as well. Here – because we’re working towards the Justice League – there’s Superman, and it’s a world populated with super beings. This situation generates an altogether new reality.”

In The Dark Knight saga, Bruce Wayne took on the playboy persona to make sure nobody would believe a spoiled, wealthy brat could be Gotham’s savior. In Batman V. Superman, Bruce has another reason for indulging in the playboy lifestyle. “We also play a bit more with the billionaire playboy side of the character,” Affleck explained. “He lives that life at full tilt. He courts many women, owns many cars, and parties a lot. He does that as a way to fill the void in his soul. Moreover, past incarnations dealt with a straightforward search for justice. This time, Batman’s reasoning is clouded by frustration, bitterness and anger.”

Affleck gives high praise to his co-star Jesse Eisenberg, comparing his Lex Luthor to Heath Ledger’s Joker.”Luthor is, for me, the most interesting character in the film,” he shared. “He’s radically different from what we’ve seen so far. He’s grounded in reality, and he’s extraordinary. This type of film is only as good as its villain. That’s why The Dark Knight was so brilliant, because of Heath Ledger’s Joker. Jesse improves the film with each scene he’s in. He’s not your usual one-dimensional villain, there’s a whole psychology behind him.”

In Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.