It’s been rumored that Ben Affleck doesn’t want to play Batman much longer, as he’s hinted at it himself in the past, though he’s been erratic on the subject. Director of The Batman, Matt Reeves, is apparently very aware of this fact, and is said to have a replacement in mind if the actor chooses to leave the role.
According to John Campea, Matt Reeves wants Jake Gyllenhaal to play Batman.
Per The John Campea Show:
“I’m hesitant to say anything, but I talked to a Hollywood producer yesterday who told me who Matt Reeves wants as Batman. And, I’ll be honest with you, the name they [gave] me caught me a little bit by surprise. I called somebody else later in the day, saying, ‘Hey, I heard this, is there any validity to this?’ And they said, ‘Well, Matt does want him.’ But, that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. There’s been no movement or anything like that. It doesn’t mean anything’s going to happen.”
It’s interesting to note that Gyllenhaal was actually considered for Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Just this past week, however, producer Charles Roven said he believes Affleck is still doing the movie, but admitted he wasn’t 100% sure:
“From everything I know, he’s going to play that Batman. They’re retooling the script, so I can’t really say anything for certain.”
Just this past July, Affleck said he believes Reeves is a great director:
“…I think getting Matt Reeves to come in and do it is really, really exciting. Matt hasn’t really unveiled his full vision yet. He wanted to wait until Apes came out, and he was obviously consumed with that. So I’m looking forward to hearing what his story is.”
All we know for certain right now is that we’ll see the character next in Justice League, which will mark a change for Affleck’s Batman, per Affleck’s recent comments:
“In Batman v Superman, he was at the end of his rope. But in Justice League, he’s finding hope again. He has to open up and play well with others. He knows he needs them.”
That goes in line with the film’s synopsis:
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash — it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Justice League hits theaters everywhere tomorrow.
What do you think? Would you like to see Ben Affleck continue playing the role of Batman? Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments!