Ben Affleck’s Batman solo film would have used elements based on Arkham’s video games.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman is just a month away and the audience is eager to see the director’s new interpretation of the Dark Knight. Before Reeves’ version was getting green lit, it was Ben Affleck’s script that was going to bring the Dark Knight back to the big screen after 2017’s Justice League, and he was going to use elements from the Arkham video games to do it.
After signing on to play Bruce Wayne of DC Extended Universe nearly a decade ago, Affleck was announced to write, produce, direct and be The Batman’s star. However later, Affleck stepped down from from the director’s chair. Matt Reeves was approached to direct Affleck’s script before he went in his own direction.
In 2019, Ben Affleck revealed that he was no longer interested in continuing as DCEU’s Batman. He said he lost the “passion” he had for the playing the character. Following Affleck’s departure from the entire project, Matt Reeves took complete control and the search for the next Batman was on-going, which eventually ended up in Robert Pattinson wearing cape and cowl.
But after Affleck’s return in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, fans still are still clamoring for information about the canceled Batman film.
In Affleck’s script for Batman , the villain was Joe Manganiello’s Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke, who intended to ruin the life of the Dark Knight by destroying his reputation and assassinating his loved ones. This movie was supposed to be the direct continuation from Zack Snyder’s Justice League, in which the masked assassin learned Batman’s true identity from Lex Luthor at the end.
Deathstroke was also an antagonist in the Arkham Origins video game, It inspired Affleck to plan battle between Batman and Deathstroke in a style similar to the games.
Cinematographer Robert Richardson, who was set to work on Affleck’s film, has claimed the story would have shown “the darker side of Batman,” something that is touched on numerous times in the game series.
In a recent interview with Esquire Middle East. Matt Reeves spoke about how he was initially approached by Warner Bros. to direct Affleck’s version. Reeves called it “totally valid” and “almost James Bond-ian,” with deep connections to the DCEU and characters from other films and comics making an appearance.
It can be disappointing for many fans that Affleck’s time in DC films ends much earlier than that of his fellow Justice League stars. But one thing’s for sure: the fans still have a chance to see him as Batman. ONE LAST RIDE IN THE BATMOBILE.
The Dark Knight’s next adventure, The Batman, will be released on March 4, 2022 with Robert Pattinson playing the title role and Matt Reeves directing.
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