The Batman Director Loved Ben Affleck’s Version Of The Character
During his DC FanDome panel, The Batman director Matt Reeves gave praise to Ben Affleck’s version of the Caped Crusader. After months of anticipation, DC’s online FanDome event has finally given fans their first solid look at what Reeves and company have in store for their new take on millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter ego Batman.
The biggest reveal was of course the first trailer for the film, which gave fans a healthy taste of the movie’s incredibly dark look, as well as Robert Pattinson’s youthful Year Two version of Batman. Thanks to that trailer, fans have now caught their first glimpse of Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as The Riddler and Colin Ferrell as The Penguin. Indeed, the origin stories of various villains will be a central part of The Batman, which is expected to be a gritty detective story very much in keeping with comic book lore.
When it comes to Batman lore, writer-director Reeves is clearly a huge fan, and indeed he had some kind things to say during his DC FanDome panel about previous actors who donned the cowl. Affleck in particular was singled out for praise by Reeves, who said:
Personally, I loved Ben Affleck as Batman. I thought he was incredible. An iteration again that we hadn’t seen. In fact I’m really excited because I know that Zack is going to be doing the new Justice League cut of his that he didn’t get to do originally and now he’s getting to do it and I can’t wait to see that.
Affleck of course took on the role of Batman when Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy had ended and Zack Snyder took over the reins of the DCEU, first with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and then with Justice League (which of course Snyder was unable to finish). Affleck’s Batman obviously also appeared in Suicide Squad, and in fact will return one more time in the upcoming movie version of The Flash (which takes place in a different DC universe to Reeves' The Batman).
It’s interesting that Reeves would speak specifically about Affleck’s Batman, as the entire point of that iteration was to portray an older Bruce Wayne, the exact opposite of what Reeves is doing with his Year Two Batman. Of course, many were critical of what was done with Batman both in Batman V Superman and Justice League, but at the same time there were a lot of people who did enjoy Affleck’s portrayal in spite of everything. That Reeves would give a little shout out to Affleck’s Batman while expressing excitement over the coming Snyder Cut of course is what one would expect from a director doubling as a pitchman during a promotional event like FanDome, but Reeves also seems sincere in his love of the comic books and Batman movies, so no doubt he really means it when he says he enjoyed Affleck’s version of the character. Reeves’ own The Batman looks like it shouldn’t have to worry about being compared to the Affleck-era Batman films, given its very gritty look and “emo” version of Bruce Wayne. However, comparisons to the Nolan films do seem inevitable.
Source: DC FanDome