It’s fair to say that donning the cape and cowl as the Dark Knight comes with its own set of expectations, and one need only cast their mind back to the vitriol that Ben Affleck’s casting evoked for evidence of that. Even still, the Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice star has conceded that there is currently a “ton of pressure” looming over the 2016 blockbuster.
Speaking in a candid interview with Variety, Affleck acknowledged that expectations for the superhero showdown are threatening to consume the film before release, and this fever-pitch hype has naturally trickled down to the film’s core cast. When quizzed about the pressures of making such a high-profile release, Affleck admitted that “I think there is a ton of pressure on it, I mean I would be bulls***ting you to say there isn’t.”
Such apprehension is understandable for a film of Dawn of Justice‘s scale and scope, and when it comes to the DC Expanded Universe in general, the Gone Girl actor believes that Snyder’s marquee title can open up the doors to what he considers to be “the single greatest under-exploited IP” in entertainment.
“You’ll see next year they are going to have a great year,” Affleck insists. “They are now developing… probably the single greatest under-exploited IP asset in the entertainment business, the DC comic world. And now they have started to exploit that and you are going to see that blossom. And, when it does, it’s going to be massive.”
Looking at the 2016 slate, and we know that David Ayer’s Suicide Squad will follow in quick succession to Dawn of Justice. Featuring a who’s who of devious villains, Affleck’s Caped Crusader will make an appearance in the standalone piece, injecting a degree of synergy into Warner Bros.’ grand cinematic masterplan.
Carrying a PG-13 rating, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will open in theaters on March 25, 2016.
