While Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice irrefutably holds the lion’s share of the comic book mindshare going into 2016, DC’s nascent plans for an Expanded Universe also include a standalone movie called The Batman, allowing Ben Affleck’s Caped Crusader to don the cape and cowl for a solo experience.
Indeed, the last time we reported on the offshoot, the Gone Girl star was being positioned to write, direct and star in the spinoff, but talk of Affleck taking full control of the project has since quietened down. Now, both Affleck and Warner Bros. producer Charles Roven touched base on The Batman, and why the former’s crowded schedule may limit his ability to take the reins.
Coming by way of Total Film once again, Affleck responds to questions concerning the spinoff by claiming it would be “a dream” to helm DC’s newfangled take on The Caped Crusader – it all hinges on the quality of the script.
“Look, if I could make it work, yeah. Obviously it would be like a dream. The trick is, as to any movie, is to make sure that you — if you’re going to direct it — that you can make it good. You’ve got to have the right idea and the right take on it. Broadly speaking, it’s something I’d be open to, for sure. It’s a very exciting idea.”
As for Roven, he supported Affleck’s ambition to step behind the lens on The Batman, though admitted the realistic hurdles facing the project. Now that the actor is tied down to Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Justice League and possibly Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman film, it’s really a question of scheduling.
“He’s about to start a movie now [Live By Night]. And he’s also got obligations to be in the Justice League movies. The calendar is a little bit tricky. Of course, the script obviously has to be worth of him wanting to direct it. And once that happens, it’s still got to fit into the calendar. We’re hoping we can make it happen. We’re just at the beginning of the question.”
Ben Affleck will make his debut as the World’s Greatest Detective for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice on March 25, 2016, with Warner tentatively slating The Batman for 2017 or 2018.
