Batfleck is again. Ben Affleck will don the cowl as soon as once more in Warner Bros. Discovery’s upcoming DC Comics 2023 film slate in Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom and The Flash. Information of the star’s return — confirmed on social media by Jason Momoa — despatched followers right into a frenzy this weekend, with hypothesis working wild concerning the implications.
Ben Affleck stars in “Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice”
Whereas many retailers and followers are suggesting the newest phrase of Affleck showing in one more entry within the DCEU means the brand new management at WBD are “restoring” the earlier incarnations and plans for his or her shared superhero universe, or that Affleck has had a change of coronary heart and desires to come back again completely as Batman, the reality is nearly actually far less complicated, if unlikely to stifle typical rumor-mongering in fandom.
Manufacturing delays and the continued Covid pandemic pressured WBD to push again the unique launch dates for The Flash and Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom. Beforehand, The Flash was purported to hit theaters first, upending the established order of the DCEU by — amongst different issues — eradicating Affleck’s Batman from continuity and changing him with none aside from Michael Keaton’s 1989 Batman.
Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom would proceed from there, with Keaton reprising the position in that movie in addition to within the upcoming Batgirl film, which releases on HBO Max later this 12 months. The plan is for Keaton’s model of the Darkish Knight to tackle a job much like a mixture of Nick Fury and Iron Man in Marvel’s personal superhero universe — largely a mentor and grasp strategist who can provide tech and funding for the bigger super-team, however who additionally sometimes dons some bat-themed battle armor to affix the fisticuffs.
Teaser picture for “The Flash”
Nevertheless, the surprising rescheduling means Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom will now arrive at multiplexes forward of The Flash as a substitute of after. Consequently, the deliberate look of Keaton’s Capes Crusader within the Aquaman sequel has been rewritten to characteristic Ben Affleck below the cowl.
So it’s a matter of necessity, and Affleck was keen to step up and step in to assist out. And as an added bonus, after all, the movie will take pleasure in a bigger measure of fan assist by profitable a large section of nook of fandom who’ve lengthy demanded a return to director Zack Snyder’s DC adaptions and plans. These followers is not going to solely be desirous to see Batfleck on display once more, they may also take this as an indication that — regardless of all different proof on the contrary — there’s nonetheless hope for some form of ultimate “victory” in pursuit of extra Snyderverse.
It’s frankly arduous to say with 100% certainty what the longer term has in retailer for the studio’s DC properties, since new company management continues to be within the strategy of deciding what to do with the superhero franchises, and is brazenly searching for an overseer to determine all of it out.
Whereas I believe it’s reasonably apparent that no matter else occurs within the coming years, there’s a basic momentum behind a brand new route and inevitable alternative of core DC performers and characters (and loads of inside info pointing to central calls for and requirements from this level ahead, below the brand new management’s bigger imaginative and prescient), I additionally acknowledge that a lot of what’s transpired — the discharge of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Affleck’s determination to reverse course and return in The Flash, and now the looks of Batfleck in one more image — has defied all studio and mainstream press expectations and claims concerning the standing of any continuation of the DCEU established by Snyder.
What this implies is, I imagine Ben Affleck is finished taking part in Batman after these two appearances and can chorus from returning once more, whereas Michael Keaton lastly turns into the established new Batman for no matter stays of the DC shared universe going ahead. I additionally imagine WBD and Snyder have moved too removed from each other for any reconciliation to be doable, a minimum of any time quickly or in relation to the DCEU. In actual fact, I don’t imagine Snyder himself needs to return, or to see different folks retrofitting his authentic plans, any greater than Warner needs these issues to occur.
However issues change. Issues on Earth. Issues like Affleck’s thoughts concerning suiting up, and issues like manufacturing plans throughout worldwide plagues. And issues like content material manufacturing for streaming companies that had anticipated a bigger funding towards HBO Max content material, however now face a reversal that places concentrate on theatrical manufacturing — necessitating unique streaming content material to draw extra subscribers.
Maybe, then, the thought of an animated adaptation of Ben Affleck’s elusive solo Batman screenplay shouldn’t be so loopy in spite of everything (albeit an choice a loud majority of followers appeared to angrily reject each time I instructed it, so the studio absolutely heard the shrill objections and took that concept off the desk). Not that I believe the chances of this taking place are in any respect vital — I positively don’t anymore. I simply can’t say the chances are completely zero.
That and a launch of the so-called “Ayers Reduce” of Suicide Squad, plus possibly an anime Half II and Half III of Snyder’s Justice League storyline, could be comparatively cheap to supply however would definitely add wholesome entries to the DCEU multiverse secure (in spite of everything, the Snyderverse is on the market as a part of the multiverse), whereas making it clear the whole lot of what followers stated they needed has arrived (and will all be achieved throughout the subsequent couple of years, a considerably fast turnaround). If Snyder had been inclined to stay personally uninvolved, he probably wouldn’t thoughts somebody like David Ayers taking the reins to convey it throughout the end line.
Which isn’t to offer any credence to expectations or hardcore fan hopes of a live-action movie based mostly on Affleck’s Batman script, or of an Affleck live-action TV sequence. I point out these million-to-one pictures extra for enjoyable spitballing and as a reminder to followers of what they presumably, with luck, may’ve had in the event that they hadn’t so furiously rejected it. I used to be a reasonably vocal fan of Snyder’s movies and among the many few leisure writers in late-2019 to publicly insist — in response to Variety’s claim that no Snyder Cut existed or would ever possibly be released — that the Snyder Reduce not solely existed however was prone to be launched comparatively quickly. And I banged the drum for the thought of constant the Snyderverse on HBO Max through animation and different choices.
However I completely love Matt Reeves’ The Batman and the deliberate spinoffs, I’ve religion that it’s the easiest way to proceed with Batman’s franchise, and I don’t need that upended or risked in any approach. In order that’s my very own two bits of non-public bias, for the file — a love of Snyder’s movies, a assist of his imaginative and prescient, a want that it had had a method to proceed in some type, and a love of the present Batman franchise that I need to see develop indefinitely.
So I believe I’ve a balanced and knowledgeable perspective after I say Warner shouldn’t be going to have three totally different and contradicting live-action Batman film franchises in theaters all on the similar time. In the meantime, Ben Affleck has repeatedly made it clear he’s not concerned with any longterm dedication to painting Batman once more, telling The Herald Solar that his look in The Flash “put a very nice end on my expertise with that character.”
Likewise, DC Comics Writer and CCO Jim Lee spoke at San Diego Comedian Con earlier this month and stated, “[T]right here’s no plans for added work on… [Snyder Cut] materials.”
And as famous, the unique plan for Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom was for a unique Bat-hero to make an look, with Affleck becoming a member of the undertaking later when the flipped launch order required a recasting. I’m pretty sure the Bat-hero in query was going to be Michael Keaton, however there’s a likelihood the King of Atlantis was purported to encounter Leslie Grace’s Batgirl within the first iteration of the story, because it was set post-The Flash. With out figuring out the exact particulars of Batgirl’s story but, it’s inconceivable to say for positive. However all clues level to Keaton’s Batman because the supposed.
Let’s additionally not neglect the tensions and hole between the studio and filmmaker seem prone to have elevated after the current Rolling Stone article, as did fractures inside some corners of the fan neighborhood.
We’ll see the place all of it finally winds up, as extra of Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans come into focus and (presumably) the studio will get somebody into that oversight position who acknowledges the issues that must be performed and the way finest to perform them.
(Maybe they’ll take into account one other win-win choice to each convey aboard extra followers, tamp down anger and criticism, and money in on a ultimate alternative left to them within the aftermath of the storm, by taking pictures a fast scene of Black Adam killing Henry Cavill’s Superman for a reveal in The Flash, adopted by a Black Adam sequel by which Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero/villain protagonist battles Superman (possibly the loss of life may come when Superman sacrifices himself to avoid wasting Black Adam from an exterior menace, however Black Adam takes the blame/credit score for killing Superman. However I digress…)
We are able to speak and speculate all day, although, however the backside line is that this: Ben Affleck has returned as Batman for a pleasant however surprising ultimate extra look, required for fundamental continuity functions due to manufacturing delays, and no one ought to interpret this as a sign of something greater than that.
Sure, it’s at all times technically true that “something can occur,” and sure some developments would possibly give some followers false hope, however there’s a reality and logic behind what’s transpired and an inevitability to the widening hole between what a section of followers need and what everybody else (together with the studio and Snyder himself, who has loads of different tasks on his plate proper now and who appears blissful the place he’s at along with his personal manufacturing firm and Netflix) needs.
For any of this reality and logic to vary, everybody — from the fandom behind the hashtags to the studio management to the general public audiences to the filmmakers — must change their minds and reverse their actions.
Which, in flip, would require a significant exterior drive influencing and altering every of them individually in exactly the precise methods wanted for an ideal convergence leading to… properly, most likely at finest the aforementioned handful of animation tasks and a re-edited streaming launch of Suicide Squad. The hypothetical cash-in thought of Black Adam combating Superman as a bookend that serves everybody’s egocentric pursuits is a pipe dream instance of any additional extension of Snyderverse content material that’s even remotely price mentioning as an outlier “what if” within the realm of potentialities.
Keep in mind, that is what a complete, excellent convergence of everybody altering their minds would appear to be at this level. And I merely don’t imagine the funding of time, consideration, emotional vitality, assets, and dangers will ever seem worthwhile to any of the gamers who should all attain the identical choices for it to ever be doable. These investments would all go to different tasks as a substitute, ones deemed extra fascinating and prone to produce higher outcomes for everybody concerned.
That’s what it actually comes right down to: math and spreadsheets, as a result of this isn’t solely a creative enterprise, it’s in the beginning actually a enterprise enterprise. Franchises on this scale will at all times be perceived and dealt with with prioritization of the income streams concerned, that’s the apparent actuality and at all times has been. Which is why no one needs to be shocked by this.
At one level, I do imagine a few of the folks at HBO Max acknowledged a possible to faucet the Snyderverse for sooner, inexpensive improvement alternatives as a method to not solely generate unique content material for HBO Max but additionally as a intelligent method to win over a majority of the beforehand disgruntled fanbase and assist unite DC followers once more in a approach that may not solely profit the Snyderverse content material but additionally the brand new DCEU franchises.
No matter else the surprising re-appearances of Batfleck would possibly counsel to some followers and media, although, maybe the largest clue is the very fact the important thing management behind making Zack Snyder’s Justice League occur and elevating the potential for added spinoffs to sit down in that a part of the multiverse. The departures of Brad Wilson, Jennifer Biry, Christy Haubegger, Andy Forssell, Tony Gonclaves, Richard Tom, and most notably Jason Kilar all level to the very fact the brand new management at WBD will pursue a brand new course that doesn’t sq. with the earlier map for the longer term. If any form of continuation of the Snyderverse was allowed within the dialog, it’s extremely unlikely figures like Kilar could be out the door.
So benefit from the surprising further serving of Batfleck, pricey readers, however don’t anticipate it to result in something extra. The street might need required just a few detours, however the eventual vacation spot for the DCEU stays usually the identical at this level — not particular, however positively not a return to the start line. And Zack Snyder is at work on a number of tasks in numerous phases of manufacturing, together with Insurgent Moon, Military of the Lifeless: Misplaced Vegas, and Twilight of the Gods, so he wouldn’t even appear to have a lot time or inclination to get entangled once more, anyway.
Djimon Hounsou stars in “Insurgent Moon”
At this level, it appears like followers want to arrange themselves to take pleasure in what they’re getting of additional substances from their favourite iterations of those characters, however keep away from getting their hopes up that there’s both momentum or curiosity in far more than that amongst anybody concerned anymore.
I’ll be again with extra protection of the DCEU, together with critiques and updates on casting and improvement, so keep tuned and examine again quickly.
