Ben Affleck’s Batman Solo Movie Title Confirmed as ‘The Batman’

In an interview for his new movie The Accountant, Batman v Superman and Justice League star Ben Affleck has confirmed that his upcoming Batman solo movie is titled The Batman. The star says the title can change, but for now, “that’s what we’re going with.”

DC movie fans following the development path of Affleck’s solo Batman movie may remember that The Batman was the title that was rumored over two years ago, with a similarly rumored release date of 2019. Well, now we know that the title part of that rumor (which originated with Latino-Review) was correct, and more recent speculation from Warner Bros. executives points to Affleck’s Batman movie coming as soon as a year and a half from now, which would put it in 2018, a year earlier than first speculated.

But obviously, things have changed since 2014 when those rumors began. After the controversy surrounding both Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad this year, one thing has become clear: Ben Affleck’s Batman has been one element of the DC Extended Universe movies that fans and mainstream viewers alike have embraced.

DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. have been all-too-clear in their approach to building a cinematic universe: highlight what works, downplay what doesn’t. Affleck’s Batman works, so clearly there’s an imperative to get the star back into the suit and headlining his own film; meanwhile, Henry Cavill’s Superman (less loved by fans) is taking his time making it to theaters for Man of Steel 2.

There’s been a ton of rumor surrounding The Batman; we’ve heard that could feature a bunch of assassins like Deadshot (Will Smith) and Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) gunning for Batman; we’ve heard iconic storylines like “Under the Red Hood” or “Hush” could be the core of the film; that Jared Leto’s Joker will be featured, etc. All of those possibilities sound like potentially great ones in the hands of Affleck, who will direct The Batman; Affleck’s other films (like The Town) have been action-thrillers (sometimes with mystery) that lean heavy on Noir staples. That’s a perfect match for any of the rumored story points for The Batman, so we (like so many fans) can’t wait to learn more.

How do you feel about The Batman as a title? Is it good enough on its own for (fresh start, reboot effect)? Does it need a subtitle? Or is there another title altogether that you would go with?

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The DCEU continues with Wonder Woman on June 2, 2017, followed by Justice League on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 16, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League 2 on June 14, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020. The Batman, Dark Universe and Man of Steel 2 are also in development.