The Batman: Ben Affleck Left Project Over Relapse Concerns

It should come as little surprise that being a celebrity is stressful. When the eyes of the world [...]

It should come as little surprise that being a celebrity is stressful. When the eyes of the world are on you, the expectations on your shoulders are heavier than ever. Ben Affleck has known that from a young age, and his tenure as Batman only intensified the issue. Following his work on Justice League, the A-list actor chose to step away from the role to focus on himself, but many fans were left to wonder why Affleck left just ahead of The Batman. Now, a brand-new interview has answered the question, and it all comes down to self care.

Recently, The New York Times spoke with Affleck as the actor continues his journey towards sobriety. The star, who has openly checked into rehab several times in the last couple of years, discusses his recovery in the lengthy feature. It is there Affleck opened up about The Batman, and it seems the movie's solid script wasn't worth tempting addiction for.

"I showed somebody 'The Batman' script," Affleck told the outlet. "They said, 'I think the script is good. I also think you'll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went though again."

It is no secret that Affleck went through some rough patches with the DC Extended Universe. Zack Snyder amassed a stellar cast for his films, but Batman vs Superman was critically panned. The dismal release of Justice League only made things worse, leaving fans to vent at whomever they could find. Affleck was left to burden much of the blame along with his co-stars, but those harsh critiques can only make addictive behaviors worse. To protect himself and his future, Affleck left behind The Batman for another star to tackle while he picked himself back up.

Now, Affleck is ready to approach his career from a new angle as he has a new film coming out. For the first time in a long time, Batman can save Gotham City on his own without the star, and Affleck seems to be all the better for it.

Are you excited to see The Batman later next year? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is in theaters now. Other upcoming DC movies include Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5th, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, Black Adam on December 22, 2021, Shazam! 2 on April 1, 2022, The Flash on July 1, 2022, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.

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