After much hullabaloo and faux outrage, it’s three and done for Ben Affleck’s Caped Crusader.
His beefed-up, super-serious Batman first took flight in Dawn of Justice, before a bite-sized cameo in Suicide Squad filled the gap between Zack Snyder’s superhero mash-up and the ill-fated Justice League. Neither film performed terribly well among critics, though.
And so, it’s with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne, as one can’t help but feel that his version of the character would’ve been better served if it was placed within a streamlined, standalone adventure, rather than being tied to the increasingly convoluted DC Extended Universe – or Worlds of DC, if we’re using the official title.
With that in mind, it’s small wonder why comic book fans are beginning to pay tribute to Batfleck as Warner Bros. and director Matt Reeves angle The Batman to be a totally different interpretation of the world-famous vigilante. Case in point: Twitter user @Moaningwaynes recently produced this simple, yet brilliant portrait showcasing both sides of Gotham’s poster boy.
Pretty cool, eh? If nothing else, it’s another reminder that Warner Bros. has brought about the end of an era, and while Ben Affleck’s string of Batman movies (read: Dawn of Justice and Justice League) struggled to leave much of an impression, the actor himself still won over the vast majority of audience members with his gruff, physical performances. Just look at that intense warehouse scene from Batman V Superman…
But a new dawn is coming, and with it the latest incarnation of Bruce Wayne. Exactly who Warner Bros. selects for The Batman will be told in time, but for now, you can have a gander at the rumored shortlist to see who’s (apparently) in the running.
