This year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice introduced Ben Affleck as the DC Extended Universe's Dark Knight, and he’ll also be seen next year assembling the Justice League. And if Warner Bros. creative chief Greg Silverman's words are to be believed, Affleck will return in 2018 with the first standalone movie for his Batman. In addition to starring in that movie, Affleck is also writing (along with Geoff Johns) and directing.
The movie – currently titled The Batman - is expected to kick off production in the spring or summer of next year. Affleck has once again assured us that he is fully aware of the responsibility he has shouldered. He told EW (via Screen Rant):
I'm not going to write and direct anything that I don't think is good enough to be made. I'm definitely going to make sure I have something that is special"”there's not enough money in the world to make a mediocre version of Batman worth it.
Affleck said something very similar a few days ago. He said that he wants The Batman to be "worthy of the tradition of guys like Tim Burton, Chris Nolan, and Christian Bale". Many view Batman v Superman as the product of the studio’s rush to set up a live-action cinematic universe with DC Comics characters who are capable of competing with the flourishing Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, it's good to know that Affleck is not in any hurry.
During the interview, the 44-year-old actor/director was asked how his children felt about their father being the Caped Crusader. Affleck responded:
They love it. My son especially. He's going to be 5, and he's in full superhero geek mode. He still sort of thinks I might really be Batman. I know he'll realize eventually I have feet of clay, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.
Zack Snyder has shared a photo featuring Ben Affleck's Batman and his Batmobile via his official Vero account (via Batman News). The director shot this one on his phone years ago, during the first photo shoot for Batman v Superman. Check it out below!