Of all the actors who have donned Batman’s cape and cowl, few had a road as rocky as Ben Affleck’s. Beset by expectations no performer could possibly fulfill, along with controversies and problems not of his own making, he somehow stayed on task and delivered a unique and engaging take on a character everyone had seen a great deal of already. The DC Extended Universe remains a subject of hot debate, particularly the early entries when the filmmakers scrambled to keep up with their rivals at Marvel. In the midst of it all, Affleck created a Batman worth remembering.
The fans certainly agree. With the recent release of the “Snyder cut” – director Zack Snyder’s original vision for what became the Justice League movie – calls have increased for Warner Bros to revisit scrapped plans for a solo Batman film involving the Oscar-winning actor-director. That project eventually became Matt Reeves’ The Batman, currently in production, but with the DCEU moving forward and Affleck himself celebrating his 49th birthday on August 15, #MakeTheBatfleckMovie suddenly looks a lot more viable than it once did.
It wasn’t always that way. Almost eight years ago exactly, Warner Bros. officially announced Affleck’s casting, and the difference between then and now is as drastic as night and day. 71 percent of the tweets on the matter at the time were negative, and within hours, at least 30 petitions were launched calling for Warner Bros to cast someone else in the role. Affleck’s challenges were compounded by the fact that Christian Bale had just completed an extremely well-regarded turn as Wayne in the Christopher Nolan movie trilogy, and by the swiftness with which Warner Bros. was trying to catch up to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that had exploded in the wake of the first Avengers movie.
None of this was Affleck’s fault, of course, nor was any of it particularly relevant to the performances he eventually delivered. And as the movies moved forward – first with Batman v. Superman, then with Justice League – other controversies eclipsed the casting choice. Zack Snyder’s dark vision for the DCEU excited some fans, but alienated others, and the director’s exit from Justice League over personal matters led to Joss Whedon replacing him. Whedon has since been engulfed in controversies of his own regarding on-set abuse and predatory behavior, and the resulting version of Justice League was considered compromised and truncated even before then.
In the midst of that, the kerfuffle over Affleck’s casting was quietly forgotten. When the films came out, the often divisive reactions to them made it easy to overlook his performance. Affleck himself was involved in a very public divorce during the time of the films’ release, which drew further attention away from his work onscreen. Other factors contributed too. Aquaman and Wonder Woman both received solo films of their own, while the DCEU’s subsequent films in the Gotham City vein focused increasingly on Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. But all of those characters had far fewer live-action appearances than Batman, and their solo films felt fresh and new. Between the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher movies and Nolan’s trilogy, Affleck didn’t feel missed.
It’s a shame because there is good cause for interest in a Batfleck return. In the wake of Bale’s celebrated turn and with a half-dozen other memorable Batman performances behind him, Affleck found something new: a sadder, more world-weary Bruce Wayne. He displayed the scars of a lifetime fighting crime more readily, and his increasing paranoia was more of an overt problem than ever before. His return to the light over the course of Batman v Superman and Justice League is the strongest emotional arc among the main characters, and Affleck adroitly balances Wayne’s cynicism with the growing belief that there might be something better in store for his world than it currently has. In short, it’s his own Batman: unlike any of the others than came before, but still unmistakably the same character. Fans have clearly noticed, and while the Pattinson version will create its own discussion, Affleck’s has now been fully embraced.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Bat-fans have questioned the casting of their hero. When Michael Keaton was announced in the role for the 1989 movie, fans sent almost 50,000 letters in protest, and the creative team behind The Dark Knight was “pilloried” after Heath Ledger was announced as the Joker. Time has proven critics wrong on both counts, and they have come around to Affleck just as they have with other performers. Yet even so, the turnaround has been swift, particularly in an age of polarization in which social media enhances rather than negates divides. The character will continue with or without him, but it’s gratifying to see the stamp Affleck put on DC’s signature vigilante getting its deserved recognition.
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