Well, in case you live in a household without internet (which wouldn't make sense given you're reading this right now), but last night Warner Brothers officially announced that Ben Affleck will be starring opposite Henry Cavill in the yet to be titled Superman/Batman sequel to Man of Steel, as none-other than Batman aka Bruce Wayne.........yes, that Ben Affleck.
Now I know I'm behind on posting some of the following, but I just wanted to give a little bit of background on the situation in case there is at least one person out there scratching their heads wondering what the heck is going on.
So last month at San Diego Comic Con, Warner Brothers announced that they were indeed moving forward with a sequel to Man of Steel and that it would team up/pit against Superman and Batman. Obviously, for the most part, nerdgasms all around.
Naturally speculation began on who would be stepping into the cape and cowl. Reports starting flooding the interwebs that Warner Brothers was looking for an older, more grizzled and experienced Batman...think early-to-mid 40s. Soon names began to circulate, with the likes of Josh Brolin, Jim Caviezel, Jon Hamm, Gerard Bulter and even Ryan Gosling. Rumors even started that WB was willing to pay Christian Bale $50 - $60 million to come back. Well you can throw all of that out the window, because it appears we're stuck with Ben Affleck.
I'll admit, when I first heard that a Batman vs Superman movie was becoming a reality, I was pretty excited. But the more I think about it, the more it feels rushed by WB. Whether you loved or hated Man of Steel, it ultimately left us with a half completed Superman. He hasn't become that beacon of hope he's meant to be yet and there's so much of Clark's story left to tell, that I feel a stand alone MoS sequel is really what the next step should be. If you want to continue to establish a shared universe, ala Marvel, have a Bruce Wayne cameo. But no, greedy WB will allow their biggest movie property to completely hijack a newly rebooted Superman franchise...and quite frankly, I don't think that's right. If I was Henry Cavill, I'd be pissed. But I digress.
Now, when I read the casting announcement last night, I was pissed. I still am actually. I have nothing against Affleck. In fact, I actually really like him from movies like Hollywoodland, The Town and Argo. However, he is no Batman/Bruce Wayne. I've never seen him completely vanish into a character. Any film I seen with him in it, all I see is Ben Affleck...usually doing a hokey Bostonian accent...and that's what I'm now expecting to see in this Batman vs Superman movie (minus the accent, I hope). The whole time, I'll just be looking at screen thinking, "yup, that's Ben Affleck dressed as Batman...*facepalm*" I can't help to think this is total stunt casting to get people to continue to talk/debate this film. I mean, come on, hasn't anyone at WB seen Daredevil?
Anyway, regardless of my personal feelings, Ben Affleck is our new Batman and we'll all have to find a way to live with that. Who knows, maybe he'll pull a Heath Ledger and completely blow us away. Here's hoping at least...
If interested, you can check out the official press release after the break.
What do you think of the casting announcement? Love it? Hate it? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
BURBANK, CA, August 22, 2013 – Ending weeks of speculation, Ben Affleck has been set to star as Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne. Affleck and filmmaker Zack Snyder will create an entirely new incarnation of the character in Snyder’s as-yet-untitled project—bringing Batman and Superman together for the first time on the big screen and continuing the director’s vision of their universe, which he established in “Man of Steel.” The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The studio has slated the film to open worldwide on July 17, 2015.
Last month’s surprise announcement of the new movie featuring both Superman and Batman created a wave of excitement and immediately fueled discussion and debate—among fans as well as in the media—about who would put on the cape and cowl of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego.
Snyder successfully re-imagined the origin of Clark Kent/Superman in the worldwide blockbuster “Man of Steel,” which has earned more than $650 million worldwide to date, and climbing. The director will now create an original vision of Batman and his world for the film that brings the two DC Comics icons together.
Affleck will star opposite Henry Cavill, who will reprise the role of Superman/Clark Kent. The film will also reunite “Man of Steel” stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.
In the announcement, Silverman stated, “We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character.”
Snyder also expressed his excitement about the casting of Affleck, noting, “Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”
Kroll added, “We are so thrilled that Ben is continuing Warner Bros.’ remarkable legacy with the character of Batman. He is a tremendously gifted actor who will make this role his own in this already much-anticipated pairing of these two beloved heroes.”
Affleck recently starred in the Academy Award®-winning Best Picture “Argo,” which he also directed and produced, earning acclaim and a BAFTA Award nomination for his performance in the film, as well as a number of directing honors. In 2010, he starred in and directed the hit crime thriller “The Town.” His recent acting work also includes “The Company Men,” “State of Play,” and “Hollywoodland,” for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. Earlier in his career, Affleck starred in and co-wrote (with Matt Damon) “Good Will Hunting,” for which he won an Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay.
The new Super Hero film is being scripted by David S. Goyer from a story he co-created with Zack Snyder. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan and Wesley Coller serving as executive producers.
Production is expected to begin in 2014.
The film is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, and Batman characters created by Bob Kane, published by DC Entertainment.Source: Batman-News.com
Image via: AV Club
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