It’s hard to imagine that the state of Warner Brothers’s plans for the DC cinematic universe could get any worse, but they somehow managed to top their previous failures with their most recent blunder. Ben Affleck has officially dropped out of directing the new Batman movie, tentatively titled The Batman.
Releasing a statement on his departure, Affleck explained the extent of his involvement with the film.
“Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film. I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director. I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”
Affleck had previously stated that he would only direct the movie if he felt the script was good enough. In addition to being a producer, Affleck was also a co-writer of the initial draft with Geoff Johns, which was recently rewritten by Chris Terrio (Argo). However, it now appears the film will start entirely from scratch via a recently released story by Forbes.
In the last few years, Affleck had established himself as a talented director with such films as The Town, Gone Baby Gone, and the Academy Award winning Argo. Affleck’s signing on to direct was seen as a move that could potentially provide support to the sagging DC universe, and his departure has been met with much nervous hand wringing. When it was announced that he would play Batman, many expressed surprised that he would take on such a hefty commitment. His departure is further evidence that the studio is hampering the creative freedom of the creators as well as rushing out movies to compete with Marvel.
For many this is further evidence that the DCEU is a sinking ship and needs a hard reboot. Warner Brothers is already making plans for films through 2020 and expects successes from both Wonder Woman and Justice League in 2017. Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, while both critical failures, were solid box office successes if not falling short of Warner Brothers expectations. Whether their slate for 2017 continues the financial hauls could determine the fate of future films.
What about you reader? What do you think about Ben Affleck dropping out as director for The Batman? Let is know in the comments below!
