The DC Extended Universe suffered a devastating blow this week when, after much back and forth, Ben Affleck finally decided to give up the director’s chair on The Batman. It wasn’t terribly surprising, given how hesitant he’s been in recent months about taking on the job, but it’s certainly bad news for Warner Bros. and the fans. Now, as the studio scrambles to find a replacement, everyone and their grandmother is putting forth their picks.
A shortlist appeared online earlier today that boasted names like Matt Reeves and Gavin O’Connor, while George Miller is also said to be in the running, among others. Now, Guardians of the Galaxy (and its sequel) helmer James Gunn has voiced his opinion on who he thinks should take the job, and it just might surprise you who he has in mind. During a Facebook Q&A, the always vocal director said the following:
“If Jeremy Saulnier was interested he’d be a good choice.”
For those unfamiliar with the name, Saulnier first put himself on the map with the excellent revenge thriller Blue Ruin in 2013. He then followed that up with the equally impressive Green Room in 2016. Though far from an A-list talent, he’s certainly rising up the ranks and people are starting to sit up and take notice of him. His previous efforts may not make him seem like the most qualified candidate, but stranger things have happened, so who knows?
If you ask us though, we’re willing to bet against this happening. Not that Saulnier isn’t talented, because he is, but he doesn’t really have any blockbuster experience and he’s still a pretty fresh filmmaker. The studio is probably after someone with at least a few more credits under their belt, because God knows they need a hit here. They simply cannot afford to have The Batman be a flop. If it is, the entire DC Extended Universe may very well crumble. As such, we expect them to go with a much more established director for the job.
We’ll be sure to keep you posted once we hear of who Warner Bros. has chosen as Affleck’s replacement, but until we get word of that, drop us a comment down below letting us know who you’d like to see direct The Batman!
