Packed to the rafters with DC villains, Ben Affleck’s solo Batman movie is quietly trucking along in development under the grand shadow of the Justice League.
It’s without a release date at this early stage, but remains a big priority for Affleck himself who will write, direct and headline the finished product. DC veteran Geoff Johns joins him on script duties, and it hasn’t taken long for the rumor mill to grind into motion.
Without question, the one speculative tidbit to gain the most traction claimed that The Batman will take place entirely within the decadent walls of Arkham Asylum, lifting inspiration from Rocksteady’s beloved licensed title in that it will imagine a scenario where the Joker has unlocked all inmates within Gotham’s home for the criminally insane. A lean, tantalizing rumor though that may be, it now appears the Affleck-fronted solo movie will venture beyond the walls of Arkham, which is something that ardent fans considered a forgone conclusion after the casting of Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke.
But here, Heroic Hollywood EIC Umberto Gonzalez appears to put those rumors to bed.
What scoop can I give you on #BatmanDay? The standalone film DOES NOT take place entirely in Arkham with all the vaillains on the loose.
— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) September 18, 2016
This is by no means an official clarification from Gonzalez, but the industry sleuth tends to be bang on point more often than not when it comes to superhero-related news nuggets. We’ll keep you posted one way or the other.
Cooking up an original story for Gotham’s Dark Knight, Ben Affleck will take point at the helm for The Batman soon after Justice League bows in theaters late next year.
