Admittedly, I’m very late to the Ben Affleck - is the New Batman - what the Fuck Party… but here are my thoughts on Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
I know I’m not upset by the announcement… but I am a little surprised to hear that he’s going to wear the cowl. For one, I read that Christian Bale was offered 50 million dollars to wear the cowl again. Christopher Nolan isn’t directing this movie… but he’s an executive producer so I naturally thought he would take the 50 million. It’s not like Batman has to carry this movie and we’re talking about 50 million fucking dollars.
That may have been a rumor and perhaps both Warner wasn’t interested in having him be a part of this movie and what will eventually become the Justice League. Christian Bale may not want to do another decade of Batman either….
A new Batman made sense…
I forget who was on the shortlist of actors for Batman, but I never recall seeing Ben’s name on the shortlist. I recall Ben’s name being tossed around for being a director of the new Star Wars movie and that got me a little nervous… but I always suspected they would go with a person who could play the role of Batman for the next 7 to 10 years.
I then heard that this movie would adapt parts of the Dark Knight Returns. A graphic novel I read earlier this year and highly recommend that you watch the two part Animated Dark Knight Return movie that will be out as one release in October.
In this Story… an older Bruce Wayne comes back from retirement - faces off against a new villain, takes on a new Robin, dispatches of the Joker and he fights Superman.
The last two, were really what makes the Dark Knight Returns so amazing. The fight with the Joker is heart stopping. Prior to their final conflict, the Joker rapes an older Cat Woman and dresses her up as Wonder Woman for Batman to find her. Batman goes bat-shit and seeks out to kill the Joker.
This won’t make the movie…. Some may say that he only ruffed her up. Cat Woman however runs a whore house and I’m pretty sure that he raped her.
N-E-Who…
A sub-plot to the Dark Knight Returns - is the battle between Batman and Superman that will completely floor you. Superman is asked by Ronald Regan, to kill Batman. The film is set in the 80’s… there’s a nuclear war thing going on while Batman is dealing with Gotham going to shit and the Joker being all rapey.
When Batman and Superman square off, it doesn’t end in a tie. There’s a decisive winner. And in my opinion, this is the only Batman story that I want to see made into a live action movie.
I don’t know the name of the team that did the animated one… but they should let them direct and do the live action one in my opinion. They recently did one where there’s a Flash who can fast enough to break the Time Barrier.
He does a butterfly effect thing tho’. In it… Bruce Wayne dies. The Dad becomes Batman and the Mom becomes the Joker…. that story is pretty awesome also.
So yea… Affleck as Batman. No big whoop. If they announce that the Dark Knight Returns will be done in 4 parts (2 movies) - then I will come unglued if they cast the wrong people for that movie.