'The Batman': Ben Affleck Reveals Why He Left the DC Comics Movie

The latest news for DC Comics and Warner Bros. Pictures upcoming Batman movie has stunned fans, as writer and director Matt Reeves' film will not involve Ben Affleck.

The Justice League movie star has spoken at length about his departure, including an official "jersey retirement" during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. But Ben Affleck only recently went into detail on the reasons behind his decision, telling IGN why he first walked away from writing and directing the movie.

"That was part of the problem," said Affleck. "We worked on the script, I was trying to figure out how to crack it, and I was never happy enough with it where I thought it was worth going out and making it because I just didn't want to do a version that I wasn't really excited by, so I still don't know."

The actor previously spoke about his attempts to make the movie over two years ago, when he was still attached. Even back then, he said he would not rush the film and that he had to be confident in the story he was telling before moving forward.

"I don't have a script that's ready yet. My timetable is I'm not going to make a movie until there's a script that I think is good because I've been on the end of the things when you make movies when you have a script that's not good yet and it doesn't pan out," Affleck told IGN in 2016. "I have a script, we're still working on it, and I'm not happy enough with it yet to actually go out there and make a Batman movie, for which I have the highest of standards, I would say. That's something that would have to pass a very high bar for me. It's not just like, 'Yeah, that might be fun, let's go try this out.'"

The actor recently admitted that he's done with the character, paving the way for a new actor to take over.

"Yeah, I am. I have decided -- I tried to direct a version of it, worked with a really good screenwriter, but couldn't come up with a version," Affleck told Kimmel during his appearance on the late night show. "Couldn't crack it. So I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at it, and they got some really good people."

The Batman is currently scheduled to premiere in theaters on June 25, 2021.

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