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Ben Affleck's Batman Future in Doubt as Warner Bros. Plots Franchise

I feel like it was always going to happen this way. Never quite believed it when Affleck went [waiting for a good script] > [not directing but still "very much involved in The Batman"]. I'd been waiting for him to ditch DCEU since then. Can't believe WB got the jump on him instead, lol.

Honestly, I'd be extremely excited for the "The Batman" without Affleck in it. His Batman carries the stench of BvS on him, plus I never really liked how he looked in the suit/ the suit looked.
 

Misha

Banned
PLOT TWIST - The current DCEU is already the Flashpoint universe and Barry is going to revert it back to its proper form

unironically thats what i've been saying they should do for awhile now. lets them lighten up the tone and pick and choose other elements and actors without rebooting. also they could play off the other flash stuff in BvS as "Flash fucks it up even further before finally getting it right"
 

DeathyBoy

Banned
I think gaining traction is a stretch. Wonder Woman is lightning in a bottle. Its solo series will be critical and commercial smashes. But I have no doubt that the Justice League will be panned.

It's literally being guided by a guy with four shows worth of experience at taking other people's work and in editing steering it into coherence.

Like I guarantee you there were episodes of Whedon's shows which were dumpster fire level and salvaged in editing. Shit, him and Minear wrote a brand new Pilot for Firefly in THREE DAYS.

Dude is the best hands.
 

Alienous

Member
They didn't really write him with much runway left on the character in BvS, anyway. He's basically a few years from The Dark Knight Returns at that point.

If they hadn't 'killed' Superman I'd say kill Batman. There are a lot of interesting stories to tell in the aftermath of Bruce Wayne's death. Do it (Final?) Crisis style -
he kills Darkseid when everyone else is defeated
. Then have Dick Grayson assume the mantle.

Batman can be interesting without Bruce Wayne. It would shorten the lifespan of the DCEU somewhat, though. Perhaps that's a good thing.
 

Harmen

Member
I actually think this is a good idea. I liked Batfleck for the most part, but what stood out the most about him was that he delivered some quality to a garbage film. Batfleck felt/feels like an endgame Batman who is heading for his finale. Would be cool for a standalone film or a two parter, but if they really want to follow the MCU model for a longer series, they are really better of casting a younger actor in the role of a Batman with less bagage so they can take any direction they want with the plot.
 

Alienous

Member
Boy, they really let Zack Snyder fuck the DCEU idea up irrevocably, didn't they?

He can't take all of the blame though - nothing about the decisions he made with BvS indicated that he was carefully laying the foundation for a universe to come. It was more like flipping the toybox over and mashing the action figures together. Someone should have stopped that from going down.

The DCEU needs a DCEU Rebirth four films in. Maybe they can get Doctor Manhattan to come in and fix things.
 

a916

Member
Boy, they really let Zack Snyder fuck the DCEU idea up irrevocably, didn't they?

He can't take all of the blame though - nothing about the decisions he made with BvS indicated that he was carefully laying the foundation for a universe to come. It was more like flipping the toybox over and mashing the action figures together. Someone should have stopped that from going down.

The DCEU needs a DCEU Rebirth four films in. Maybe they can get Doctor Manhattan to come in and fix things.

Yeah, I mean it's totally his fault Ben's marriage broke apart and he went to rehab...
 
Boy, they really let Zack Snyder fuck the DCEU idea up irrevocably, didn't they?

He can't take all of the blame though - nothing about the decisions he made with BvS indicated that he was carefully laying the foundation for a universe to come. It was more like flipping the toybox over and mashing the action figures together. Someone should have stopped that from going down.

The DCEU needs a DCEU Rebirth four films in. Maybe they can get Doctor Manhattan to come in and fix things.

Actually, it's starting to look the like the exact opposite. We had announced dates and films attached to them. There were arcs betting set up even if people hated them. People saw the huge wall in his office where the plan was laid out about how the first batch of movies would connect but allow directors to have some freedom.

Now? You just have Johns and company seemingly throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks first and whatever it ends up being is what's up next in the queue. We continue to get dates from Warner Bros, but nothing is attached to them. There are probably 6-8 DCEU films on the slate and not a single one has a title attached to it.
 

Ross61

Member
This part makes no sense. They purposely cast an older actor because they wanted an older Batman who's already been through the mill....now they say his age is the reason they want to recast?

He should sue the shit out WB.
This wasn't a problem for them. She added this for....reasons.
 

Nategc20

Banned
WB got three options:

A) Reboot this whole universe
B) Flashpoint/Crisis this shit
C) Bruce dies in The Batman, Dick takes over

Probably gonna be C.
Why would rebooting be an option when DCEU movies make bank and wonder wonder destroying the summer?
 
It's clear that WB have no clue how to do this and it's been a shit show from the start.

They really need to sit down and plan this thing properly, like Marvel did with the MCU. Carefull planning has resulted in Marvel having hit after hit, with an awesome connected universe, where the characters have grown through the movies and have connections with each other, like in the comics. Love or hate the MCU, it works, there's no denying that.

If DC and WB actually sat down and made a plan for what they are doing and make a roadmap of where they want to go with future movies, they could probably make an awesome connected universe too, but as it is, it all just feels rushed and thrown together like nobody really gives a shit. It's sad to see these great characters get such bad treatment.

Affleck was actually a great Batman, so it would be a shame if he didn't do the standalone movie, although I don't blame him for maybe wanting out, with how things have gone.
 

Measley

Junior Member
It's clear that WB have no clue how to do this and it's been a shit show from the start.

They really need to sit down and plan this thing properly, like Marvel did with the MCU. Carefull planning has resulted in Marvel having hit after hit, with an awesome connected universe, where the characters have grown through the movies and have connections with each other, like in the comics. Love or hate the MCU, it works, there's no denying that.

If DC and WB actually sat down and made a plan for what they are doing and make a roadmap of where they want to go with future movies, they could probably make an awesome connected universe too, but as it is, it all just feels rushed and thrown together like nobody really gives a shit. It's sad to see these great characters get such bad treatment.

Affleck was actually a great Batman, so it would be a shame if he didn't do the standalone movie, although I don't blame him for maybe wanting out, with how things have gone.

Just wait until that Avengers 3 trailer drops. Its going to make people forget about Justice League.

That's what happens when you take your time and make it awesome, instead of rushing to try to play catch-up.
 

J_Viper

Member
Come to think of it, didn't this rumor first pop up like a day or two before the JL trailer hit?

Weird how that's happening again
 
Come to think of it, didn't this rumor first pop up like a day or two before the JL trailer hit?

Weird how that's happening again

Some have been pushing this rumor for years. This is the first credible source. But even if Affleck stays, you'll be hearing about how he's leaving in the years to come.
 

Nev

Banned
What a shitshow.

It's the best thing that could happen though. Casting him was a mistake and this was bound to happen. Build a cinematic universe that is supposed to run for at least for 5-10 years and cast a 44 years old high profile actor to play a Batman who's tired of everything.

Genious.

I don't know how they'll do this but nobody cares about DCEU Batman so it doesn't really matter. Time travel, alternate universe or just bring Dick Batman, who cares, anything will be better than the trash impostor Batman in BvS.

Plenty of time to build a new one that isn't disgraced with the Snyder mark.

PS: People saying they should recast Cavill while they're at it: no. He had literally nothing to work with in these shallow action figure brawl movies.

Compare Gal Gadot in BvS and WW. It's like a different actress/character altogether.
 

Schnozberry

Member
Do some kind of time travel reboot where Wonder Woman stays canon

I don't think it needs to be this complicated. Just have him pass on the cowl to someone else. Affleck can still exist in universe as a retired Bruce Wayne, and be the political front and bankroll for the League.

The Batman Film could very easily be a transition to a new, younger Batman. They already had Alfred hinting during BvS that Bruce wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore.
 
Just recast him. You really don't need to make it more complicated beyond that.

This is where I'm at

You don't need an elaborate time travel storyline eating up an entire film just to explain a recast

Make a new movie with someone else in the Batman suit. People will get over it and move on. This ain't a character/actor combination that has some long standing legacy where people won't see past a change
 

grumpy

Member
The Batfleck was probably one of the few highlights of the DCCU. Sad to see him go, I guess.

But after seeing Spiderman homecoming, I kinda want to see Michael Keaton back playing an older, grumpier Batman/Bruce.
 
The Batfleck was probably one of the few highlights of the DCCU. Sad to see him go, I guess.

But after seeing Spiderman homecoming, I kinda want to see Michael Keaton back playing an older, grumpier Batman/Bruce.

I think they need to go young. Do a late 20s Batman.

I hated that they jumped to old grizzled cynical Batman for Affleck. He deserved better.
 
It doesn't have to actually be an adaptation of Flashpoint. Flashpoint is basically shorthand for "Flash does something wonky w/ the universe" that's all.

Considering WB (and Marvel...and Fox and Sony) are still completely allergic to even attempting a faithful adaptation of any famous graphic novel run, Flashpoint being adapted is a long shot.

Seriously, Age of Ultron, Civil War, Winter Soldier, etc... all feature major changes from the comics. It's just leveraging the name to kinda steer the idea of the plot, not the story beats. Hell, most of the time the comics suck.
 
We've seen so many Bruce Waynes over such a relatively short period, I think the audience is entirely desensitized to it at this point. Yeah,just recast it, pushback will be minimal.
 
I think they need to go young. Do a late 20s Batman.

I hated that they jumped to old grizzled cynical Batman for Affleck. He deserved better.

I get the appeal for that version, but for me, there are way too many "Young white rich dudes do whatever the fuck they want while being sarcastic" movies. Not even just comic book movies. So in a vacuum I'd love to see it, but I think attempting a Batman Beyond sorta deal would be refreshing.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
I want a Roger Rabbit-esque movie with Batman being animated/voiced by the same people who did Batman: The Animated Series, with everyone else live-action, and nobody ever referencing the fact that Batman is animated.
 

black070

Member
I want a Roger Rabbit-esque movie with Batman being animated/voiced by the same people who did Batman: The Animated Series, with everyone else live-action, and nobody ever referencing the fact that Batman is animated.

I didn't know I wanted this.
 
I get the appeal for that version, but for me, there are way too many "Young white rich dudes do whatever the fuck they want while being sarcastic" movies. Not even just comic book movies. So in a vacuum I'd love to see it, but I think attempting a Batman Beyond sorta deal would be refreshing.

I just want a Batman who cares and is compassionate. Not a bitter murdering prick.
 
YOU WANNA GET NUTS

COME ON

LET'S RECAST

For a direct replacement
405
 
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