Depending on what corner of the Internet you choose to side with, The Batman is either trucking along in pre-production as planned or, if writer Bret Easton Ellis is to be believed, in dire need of a script overhaul.
Thanks in large part to the critical drumming aimed at Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, for better or worse, Ben Affleck’s upcoming solo movie has been subject to heavy scrutiny, meaning those rumors should be treated as just that until the Caped Crusader swoops into theaters for his next standalone outing.
Acting as something of a counter to Ellis’ scathing comments, Deathstroke actor Joe Manganiello has been championing The Batman as a “refreshing, surprising” take on the World’s Greatest Detective. Appearing on Mark Madden’s podcast (via Reddit and CBM), the former True Blood star spoke about the ways in which Affleck’s account aims to strike a balance between the Batman of old and taking the comic book icon in a new direction.
“When I met Ben we sat down and we talked about, you know, the role. We talked about the movie. His take is a fresh take but I think the audience is going to be surprised. Because it’s a road that no one’s really gone down that’s completely integral to, you know, who Batman is. And I think it’s gonna be refreshing but at the same time completely familiar. But it’s going to take this franchise in a direction that I think A LOT of people are going to be really happy about. It’s going to be gritty and action packed and cerebral and all of those elements that people love about Batman.
Ben’s a great director, man. I mean the last movie that man directed won best picture. He’s got an Oscar for writing. Like, this is all the components to go down as a… everything is lined up for a really really really great movie. Not only a superhero movie but just a great great movie.”
The Batman is without a release date at the moment, but fans can look forward to Ben Affleck donning the cape and cowl for Zack Snyder’s Justice League movie. It’ll open in a post-Woman Woman landscape on November 17, 2017.