Ben Affleck might finally be getting his shot at helming a DCU project after all. The actor first stepped into the CBM franchise as the fabled Dark Knight under Zack Snyder’s direction. The role, after much controversy and speculations, has become one of the numerous aspects of SnyderVerse that is being scrapped from existence while DCU moves forward under James Gunn. However, despite the actor not returning after his final two appearances as Batman in 2023, the DC Studios’ chief may have something else in store for the Argo actor in the franchise.
Ben Affleck to Stay Within the DCU But Not as Batman
The new DC Universe with James Gunn at the helm has been the epicenter of seismic shifts — both structurally and emotionally. As the fans waited in patience for the CEO to come out of hibernation and show his plans to the world, two announcements rocked the world of DC to the core, and both are placed at extreme ends of the emotional spectrum.
While Henry Cavill‘s final exit from DC has erupted volatile outcries from the fans, Gunn’s claim of placing Ben Affleck on a retainer has given some sense of justice to the entire situation.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s story about Henry Cavill also posited several facts about James Gunn interacting with Cavill’s co-workers from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Reports indicate that the CEO has spoken especially to Ben Affleck about his role in DCU beyond his current fixture as Batman. Given how the DC Universe already has one of those, the Caped Crusader from SnyderVerse is being eradicated after the older Batman’s final lap in The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
James Gunn Elaborates on Ben Affleck’s Role in DCU
The rumor mill has been on about how Robert Pattinson‘s Batman might be transitioned into the mainstream DCU following Ben Affleck’s retirement. Directed by Matt Reeves, the solo Batman endeavor of 2022 originally began as a project that Ben Affleck had been working on. Alongside Geoff Johns, the Justice League actor was working on writing, directing, and starring in a standalone Batman film. However, those plans began to fall apart after the chaotic fiasco of 2017. In 2019, it was announced that Matt Reeves had taken over and the Batfleck film was lost to the wind.
Now, James Gunn has partially sealed the wound left behind by the slow and deliberate erasure of the SnyderVerse by mentioning that he has been in talks with Ben Affleck about the actor’s capacity as a director for the DCU in the future.
Met with Ben yesterday precisely because he wants to direct & we want him to direct; we just have to find the right project. https://t.co/Haz1APdlVN
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) December 15, 2022
The Oscar-winning writer, director, and producer helming a DC Universe film is definitely good news for the fandom, considering how Affleck’s presence behind the lens has never failed to not produce a masterpiece, even across varying genres. At this exact moment, however, there are no definite scripts or projects set in place for Ben Affleck to direct within the franchise.
The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom premiere on June 16, 2023, and December 25, 2023, respectively.
Source: Twitter | James Gunn
