The era of Batfleck is no more.
Aside from the possibility of a fleeting cameo in Matt Reeves’ upcoming standalone pic, Ben Affleck is ostensibly finished with Gotham’s Caped Crusader, leaving The Batman in the hands of a young protégé. Rumor has it that Reeves is eyeing an actor in his mid-20s for what will be a decidedly different interpretation of the Dark Knight, though further details are being kept under lock and key.
That has in no way stemmed the tide of support and genuine appreciation for Ben Affleck’s Batman though, given Twitter has been awash with encouraging messages and DC tributes now that the era of Batfleck is coming to an end. Below, you’ll find just a small cross-section of the tweets, beginning with Affleck’s own:
Excited for #TheBatman in Summer 2021 and to see @MattReevesLA vision come to life. https://t.co/GNgyJroMIO
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) January 31, 2019
You will always be my Batman and my Bruce Wayne. Thank you for helping Zack Snyder realize his vision for this character and DC Universe. pic.twitter.com/rP2YT2R8u0
— Bonded for Life (@GreatKungLao) January 31, 2019
Writing has been on the wall for a while with Ben Affleck and Batman. But even still, finally getting the confirmation still feels like a gut punch
His role in Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad was the closest to comic book Batman we’ve seen. Kinda missed out on something special
— Sheraz Farooqi (@SherazFarooqi_) January 31, 2019
And continued:
thanks Ben Affleck for being my all-around favorite Bruce Wayne/Batman pic.twitter.com/0YAV38GFYP
— 𝚎𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚎 (@cinomntopogrphy) January 31, 2019
Say what you will about the DC movies but Ben Affleck was a terrific Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill was a superb Superman/Clark Kent. Losing them both from the DCEU is truly disappointing. pic.twitter.com/qxzJZhcO7V
— Doug Jamieson (@itsdougjam) January 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/TheRealFTA/status/1090778469406031873
Ben Affleck was the worst Batman of all time. pic.twitter.com/CD0gkIX1GU
— Dr. Victoria Dooley (@DrDooleyMD) January 31, 2019
So, yeah, a somewhat divisive reaction to Ben Affleck’s announcement; while the vast majority of DC fans are in a state of mourning, there are those who believe that Affleck’s Caped Crusader was the worst of the bunch. That’s somewhat harsh, really, considering his three-movie stint involved Suicide Squad, Batman V Superman and the ill-fated Justice League – three DC films that failed to truly light up the box office in the way Warner Bros. would’ve hoped.
But the show must go on, and Matt Reeves is clearly angling The Batman to be a brand new platform on which a young, as-yet-unknown actor can showcase his skills as DC’s next big-screen hero. June 25th, 2021 is the current launch date, while we understand the finished article will also feature a rogues gallery of crooks and villains along with a greater emphasis on Bruce Wayne’s detective skills – something that was evidently missing from previous incarnations of the Dark Knight.
