From the “Did Not See This Coming Department” — actor, director and writer Ben Affleck has signed onto the upcoming Flash movie as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Vanity Fair, who first reported the deal, says Affleck will join Justice League co-star Ezra Miller and possibly Michael Keaton as another version of Batman, in a film is pretty much guaranteed to explore the multiverse.
Affleck apparently received the script last week and agreed to reprise the role, for which he has received mostly praise.
“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie,” director Andy Muschietti (IT and IT: Chapter 2) explains. “The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before. It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”
The filmmaker added that Keaton’s Batman will have a “substantial” part, but it wouldn’t work for the Flash to meet another Dark Knight without “the original” being part of the proceedings. “He’s the baseline,” the director notes. “He’s part of that unaltered state before we jump into Barry’s adventure. There’s a familiarity there.”
In the original Flashpoint, which this film is partially based on both Bruce and his father Thomas appear in the story.
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In the original timeline Bruce Wayne saw his parents get shot by Joe Chill, an act that led him to become Batman. But in the alternate timeline, he was shot instead and this act led his father to become the Batman and his mother the Joker.
In the same interview, producer Barbara Muschietti reveals that she was surprised Affleck was happy to return as Batman given past comments he made about playing the character, but noted that “he’s now in a very different time in his life. Right now he’s in a place where he can actually enjoy being Batman. It’s a pivotal role, but at the same time it’s a fun part.”
Affleck’s casting as the Dark Knight, does not affect Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The article makes it clear that this will be Affleck’s last turn as Bruce. The Flash runs into theaters in 2022.
Holy Batcasting.
SOURCE: Vanity Fair
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
