Warner Bros. was initially aiming for a 2018 release, but the Batman reboot was delayed when Ben Affleck stepped down from the director's chair. Affleck had said quite a few times that he was working on the script, which needed to be perfect. He also said that multiple villains from the Dark Knight's rogues gallery would appear in the film, and that he had quite a lot to juggle. We know now how it all ended.

The most recent reports say that the script has been heavily rewritten, and that it’s unlikely that Affleck's efforts as a screenwriter will be evident in the final product. According to Forbes, we might not see Deathstroke as the main antagonist or The Joker in a secondary role, as Affleck envisioned it:

The story for The Batman originally included the assassin Deathstroke as a main villain, with Joe Manganiello cast in the role, as well as a few other likely villainous appearances by characters including the Joker, according to sources familiar with the project. Jared Leto, who portrayed the Joker in Suicide Squad, has for months expressed his displeasure about the removal of substantial portions of his performance from the final cut of the film, raising questions about whether he would return to the role in future movies. He seems to have softened his stance lately and appears interested in a possible return, but whether he will ultimately be part of The Batman or Gotham City Sirens remains to be seen.

For the moment, Ben Affleck will star in and produce the Batman reboot - even though his initial contract with Warner Bros. included just three movies (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and two Justice League flicks). It remains to be seen whether or not he'll exit by 2019, which is now the projected year for the Batman reboot release.

If he decides to exit, it will be a huge blow for the studio. Hopefully, this won't happen.