Following several major announcements surrounding the future of the DCEU, it looks like we’re about to end up with more Batmen than we know what to do with.
Not only is Michael Keaton suiting back up as the Caped Crusader for the first time in nearly 30 years in The Flash as Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson continue to put together The Batman, but Ben Affleck has recently been spotted getting back into superhero shape as rumors continue to swirl that he’s set to return to the iconic role for at least a few more appearances.
And now, after endless speculation and constant back-and-forth, Vanity Fair has confirmed We Got This Covered’s earlier scoop, telling us that yes, Ben is indeed returning as Batman for a role in The Flash. No word yet on how exactly he’ll factor into the story, but again, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given that we told you it’d be happening last month.
Still, that doesn’t mean it isn’t hugely exciting and below, The Flash director Andy Muschietti offered up some more insight into the part Ben will play in the production.
“His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong which is his masculinity—because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline —but he’s also very vulnerable. He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.”
“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie. The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before. It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”
Of course, the question now is, will Affleck stick around the DCEU beyond The Flash? Well, the smart money says yes. In how big of a role, that we don’t know, but we imagine his return will be received extremely well by the fanbase, which will no doubt spur the actor, and Warner Bros., to line up further projects for his take on the hero. If they haven’t already, that is.
In any case, with DC FanDome right around the corner now, we should learn more this weekend about what the future of the franchise holds in store for Ben Affleck’s Batman and how he’ll factor into The Flash. But for now, you can leave your own thoughts on this huge new development in the DCEU down below.
