The Batman: Why Warner Bros. Should Respect Ben Affleck’s Plans

Ben Affleck recently made headlines when he stated that if his Batman movie (tentatively titled […]

September 5, 2017, 3:58pm

Ben Affleck recently made headlines when he stated that if his Batman movie (tentatively titled The Batman) doesn’t come together in development the way he wants it, then he won’t do it.

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UPDATE: Ben Affleck has now officially dropped out of directing The Batman.

With the studio having already confirmed a 2018 release date for The Batman, and Affleck having previously said that a spring 2017 shoot was planned, it seems like there needs to be a lot of development done in a short period of time. However, here is Why Warner Bros. needs to Respect Ben Affleck’s Wishes when making this Batman movie.

He’s the Director They Need (And We Deserve)

Simply put: Warner Bros. needs Ben Affleck directing this Batman movie.

He’s actually playing the character. The connection between vision and execution has never been more direct, and its a bond that WB should respect at all costs.
His directing abilities have been acclaimed from the start and only gotten better with time – and that includes the potential acclaim for his new gangster movie, Live By Night. WB has a talented (and respected) leading man who’s also a talented (and respected) Oscar-winning director. Those don’t grow on trees!
He’s the perfect director for the material. Dark, Noir-style mystery/detective/crime story thrillers have been the primary subject of Affleck’s films. In other words: everything that Batman fans have been wanting (and never fully gotten) in a Batman movie.

He’s Their Strongest Franchise Player (and Hope)

As Batman v Superman taught us, there’s a time to go to war, and a time to make allies – and it’s important to know the difference.

Right now, Ben Affleck is the biggest and most lauded star on the DC Films roster. His Bruce Wayne/Batman is the most fan-approved character in the DCEU lineup. And The Batman is easily one of the most anticipated movies on the upcoming slate of releases.

This is not the time to rock the boat on this front – it’s time to settle things down and compromise.

He Has the Right Attitude

At the end of the day, many DC Comics fans would probably say that it’s Affleck who is in the right, when he makes statements like, “there’s not enough money in the world to make a mediocre version of Batman worth it.”

Even though Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad have earned increasingly strong returns for DC/WB, the backlash from critics and divisiveness amongst fans has left the DC Extended Universe with something of a branding issue.

DC Films creative head Geoff Johns is getting more involved, and Wonder Woman is expected to mark a soft turnaround point for the brand. In an increasing catalogue of world-famous superhero franchises, Batman remains king; fans want this done right, rather than done fast. Affleck wants the same.