Ben Affleck To Reportedly Play Batman In The Flash, But Not In Solo Film

One of the worst-kept secrets in the DC Extended Universe is Ben Affleck‘s interest in departing the films permanently. A recent report by Variety claims that, while Affleck is expected to appear in the upcoming The Flash film, he will exit the DCEU and a new actor would accept the cowl for the Matt Reeves-directed The Batman.

“While Ben Affleck is expected to appear as Batman in a standalone Flash movie, it is highly unlikely he will don the cape and cowl in Matt Reeves’ planned standalone Batman movie. The director is said to want to cast the role with fresh talent, according to sources,” Variety‘s report reads.

It’s unclear exactly when Affleck’s doubts about the DCEU began, with the films in which he has appeared often receiving harsh criticism.

Affleck’s first portrayal of the character was in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and, while his performance wasn’t singled out as being disappointing, the overall film received incredibly poor reviews. When one reporter confronted Affleck and co-star Henry Cavill in an interview about these poor reviews, Affleck’s seemingly despondent response created one of the most popular memes of the year and became a widely-shared viral video.

Almost all interviews with the star bring up his involvement in the franchise, possibly shaking his faith in the role after having to regularly confirm he wasn’t leaving.

Rumors of Affleck’s exit were seemingly confirmed as he distanced himself from The Batman, with Reeves taking over directorial duties. With Affleck already being 45, The Batman may focus on a much younger version of the character, which would possibly necessitate a new actor to take the reins.

Recently, a source reported to Radar Online that Mad Men star Jon Hamm would be interested in taking the role, despite having previously collaborated with Affleck on The Town.

“They’ve enjoyed working together and have been on good terms ever since,” the source explained. “But Jon knows Ben has faced some criticism over Batman v. Superman and Justice League, and frankly thinks he’d be better suited for the job. This is business for Jon, not personal.”

Stay tuned for updates on The Batman and Ben Affleck’s involvement in the DCEU.

[H/T Variety]