Playing Batman comes with its own set of unique burdens and responsibilities, and in the last couple of weeks alone the Dark Knight has been the subject of intense speculation spanning multiple actors spread across the length and breadth of DC Films’ output, whether it be theatrical movies or HBO Max streaming projects.
Before the Michael Keaton chatter was finally put to bed yesterday after the actor’s involvement in The Flash was confirmed by his representatives, there were several reports making the rounds that said Christian Bale was being lined up as a backup option should the Keaton deal fall through. There’ve also been tales of Robert Pattinson’s discontent on the set of The Batman, while Ben Affleck continues to have his short and long-term future as the Caped Crusader placed under a microscope.
The latest addition to the perpetual whirlwind of scuttlebutt offers that the two-time Academy Award winner has two conditions for suiting up after The Flash. As per the report, those terms are a truckload of cash and the restoration of the SnyderVerse, with the former definitely easier to meet given that even Zack Snyder admitted that the #RestoreTheSnyderVerse campaign more than likely won’t yield any tangible results despite the best efforts of the fans.
Of course, we’ve been hearing for close to a year that Affleck may or may not be signed on to multiple solo projects, HBO Max exclusives and future cameo appearances in the DCEU, and as of yet, none of them have been confirmed by either the studio or the man himself. However, now that The Flash is finally shooting, the future of the DCEU’s canonical Batman should hopefully become much clearer over the coming months.
