Batman with Ben Affleck-- Rumors, pic, etc;

[Kai "the spy"]

Understandable decision, but still kinda disappointed we won't be getting a produced, directed, written by and starring Batman.

I know there's no chance of it happening, but it would be great if Snyder could step in as director.

Rant against Snyder in 5, 4, 3, ...

 

[dahj]

Rant against Snyder in 5, 4, 3, ...

I know people get triggered by the mere mention of his name, but I really think that with Affleck and Johns writing and producing and Snyder's visual flair and attention to detail this would be one helluva movie.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Keep Zack Snyder as far away from The Batman as possible and it will be one hell of a comic book film no matter who ends up directing it*.

* (Unless it ends up being Michael Bay, McG, Brett Ratner, Paul W.S. Anderson, J.J. Abrams or Roland Emmerich.)

 

[Jax]

WB originally wanted The Batman before cameras this spring

Then the WB should of had a clear plan from the start because it looks like they are drunks bumping around in the dark trying to find the god dam light switch. I don't know if they even had the DCEU in mind when MoS was being made but since they started this Expanded Universe for proper with BvS, they don't seem to know what they are doing. SS behind the scenes points to it being a mess with Director v Studio and we are already hearing similar issues with Wonder Woman but too a lesser extent and there is a good chance that just smoke with no fire. The Flash has NO director and Aquaman hasn't been a smooth ride either + They just seem to be adding movies at random with no long term strategy in mind. I know some people hate Snyder, I don't but I also don't want him doing "The Batman" but I am starting to really hate the WB execs.

Now the debacle with The Batman, a film that IMO should of followed MoS to set up Batman for BVS and not come many movies down the line.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

According to the Variety article, Matt Reeves, director of Dawn and War for the Planet of the Apes, is on WB's shortlist of directors to replace Affleck. The Lord taketh and the lord giveth. Haha

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/ben-affleck-the-batman-will-not-direct-1201971566/

 

[Christopher]

I didn't think it would be easy to direct himself in the type of fighting and action sequences we saw in BvS.

That's what second unit directors, assistant directors, and stunt coordinators are for. Besides, I doubt that Affleck would do most of his own stunts anyway.

I don't know if they even had the DCEU in mind when MoS was being made

Apparently they did: http://screenrant.com/superman-man-of-steel-shared-universe/

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

According to the Variety article, Matt Reeves, director of Dawn and War for the Planet of the Apes, is on WB's shortlist of directors to replace Affleck.

Matt Reeves ain't a bad choice. Gavin O'Connor might also be a candidate, although I'm (and probably everyone else is) hoping George Miller gets the gig.

 

[dahj]

According to the Variety article, Matt Reeves, director of Dawn and War for the Planet of the Apes, is on WB's shortlist of directors to replace Affleck.

I see he also did the American version of Let the Right One In, which I've managed to miss seeing so far.
Will have to correct that oversight.

 

[Samurai8472]

A writer from Forbes believes that there is also a slim chance that Affleck might leave the role as well.

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcom...el_OeFcmj20q57zozX5rqA&bvm=bv.145822982,d.cGc

Unfortunately, among the things I heard about his departure as director, I heard a few specifics that — if true — lead me to worry there is at least a chance Affleck could also walk away from starring in the picture. I don’t feel those concerns are as likely to bear fruit, and I still expect Affleck will finish the screenplay as planned and then start prepping for the role by getting into “Batman shape” to ensure he’s physically and mentally prepared for the role. That said, I do believe there’s a chance now that Affleck could depart the project as an actor, winding up merely serving as cowriter and producer.

Even assuming he does star in The Batman, I think the odds Affleck might walk away from the DCU after the film have increased. Obviously the pressure and exhaustive production schedules of these blockbuster superhero films, and being so heavily involved not just as a performer but also as a writer and in the editing room and as a producer, contributed to Affleck’s overall feeling that in order to concentrate on rewriting the script and starring in the film, he couldn’t shoulder the directing duties. This is precisely what I talked about in previous articles with regard to what factors could lead him to give up the directing role, and I feel the same factors also raise the question of whether he would be able to focus on his other projects as much as he’d like if he’s constantly committed to these tentpole superhero pictures (a problem that affected Live By Night, in fact).

 

[LJones41]

Then the WB should of had a clear plan from the start because it looks like they are drunks bumping around in the dark trying to find the god dam light switch. I don't know if they even had the DCEU in mind when MoS was being made but since they started this.

Does anyone recall similar arguments whenever Marvel changed their plans in regard to writing, directing or casting their films? Because I don't. And such changes have occurred. There is something about these complaints against the DCEU that almost seem systematic . . . as if they are part of some anti-DCEU propaganda campaign, designed to ensure that moviegoers will not go to see their movies. What makes this even more irritable is that a good number of people tend to make these pronouncements about the DCEU, as if their words are facts, instead of their own opinions or assumptions.

 

[JD]

I was a little nervous when I first heard Affleck stepped away from the director's chair, since he said he would direct as long as he liked the script. So after that I was thinking it was a bad sign for the quality of the script, but after reading the statements I'm not as worried.
Trying to (co-)write and direct, and star in these kinds of big budget, effects heavy blockbusters are hard enough jobs on their own, so I couldn't even imagine trying to do them all. I think it makes sense that Affleck would want to cut down on his workload and just focus on a couple of those things.

 

[Christopher]

Does anyone recall similar arguments whenever Marvel changed their plans in regard to writing, directing or casting their films? Because I don't.

I'm sure there were some, since fandom has a bottomless capacity for premature panic. But the difference is in the context. Marvel actually took its time letting its universe grow organically and build on its successes, and most of its movies have been at least modest successes, so they've earned fandom's trust. Warner Bros. put out one deeply flawed, controversial Superman movie, then suddenly tried to force a whole shared universe into existence all at once, then put out two incoherent and critically derided sequels, at least one of which suffered largely from the need to force a shared universe coming at the expense of the individual films. They've failed to earn fandom's trust that they know what they're doing.

And such changes have occurred. There is something about these complaints against the DCEU that almost seem systematic . . . as if they are part of some anti-DCEU propaganda campaign, designed to ensure that moviegoers will not go to see their movies.

That's just paranoid. We're not paid studio shills, we're individual fans from all over the country (or even the world) posting our own individual opinions on our own initiative. And none of us want the DCEU to be bad. Obviously we don't. We're so unhappy with the movies because we love the characters and we would love it if the movies were actually good. The last thing we would want is to sabotage the success of worthwhile superhero movies; that would only hurt us, so we'd have no possible reason to want it. But the sad fact is, these are not good superhero movies. Compared to what Marvel is doing, compared to what Berlanti and The CW are doing on television, compared to what WB Animation has been doing with DC for the past two decades, the WB feature film division's approach to its superhero characters is startlingly inept. If they want fandom to change our minds about that, then they have to earn it by making Wonder Woman and Justice League and The Flash and the rest better than BvS and Suicide Squad. And I'm sure the fans will be delighted if they actually can do that. We love these characters and we want them to be done well. That's why we're so frustrated that they haven't been.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Exactly. While I admit to preferring Marvel, I bought my fair share of DC back in the day, and I did give the Nu52 a shot. I bought The Dark Knight Returns. I bought Death of Superman. You think that I didn't want the adaptation to be good? You think that I would want to see them brought to the big screen and be disappointed?

The simple truth is that while certain aspects of the DC movies are appreciated by a certain segment of the audience, the truth is that Marvel has simply been making better movies all around. They haven't all been winners. I thought that Dr. Strange was just mid-range Marvel fare. I only own The Incredible Hulk for completeness sake. Age of Ultron was... flawed.

The difference is that Marvel had a plan and a man coordinating things behind the scenes. Kevin Feige can not be given enough credit for the success and appeal of the MCU. He understands the characters and the source material and exactly what it is that makes these characters so enduring in a way that Zack Snyder simply doesn't. Hopefully, the fact that they have given Geoff Johns a Feige-like position within the DC movie machine will mean an upturn in overall quality in the DC movies and their unfolding story. I say "hopefully" because I want them to be good. Or least better than they are.

ETA-- And don't think for a minute there wasn't outcry and panic and nonsense from fandom when Terrance Howard was replaced. When Ed Norton was replaced. When Edgar Wright stepped down. I remember it all well.

 

[JD]

I think the biggest mistake DC made was not putting Geoff John in charge of the movies from the start.

 

[Starscream2112]

Ben Affleck to Exit Batman Role and DC Altogether?
http://movieweb.com/the-batman-ben-affleck-exit-role-dc-films/

 

[M.A.C.O.]

^ I'm so done with speculative articles/fake news/click bait pieces. Unconfirmed sources told me something vague, that could mean nothing, but lets report and discuss it like it's something.

 

[Starscream2112]

Ha...I guess it is. That what I get when I post with out reading it.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

Ha...I guess it is. That what I get when I post with out reading it.

You know what they say. There's no news like bad news.

And websites need clicks and traffic to their site for revenue. I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Well, it does say "rumors" in the thread title, so this would be an appropriate place to discuss such a thing. However, I would suggest reading such articles first and then presenting them here as rumor and or speculation rather than as fact.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

According to reports Captain Fantastic director Matt Ross is also on the shortlist to direct The Batman.