Warner Bros. is moving forward with Ben Affleck's second "Batman" film, and it is rumored that the story will take place in Arkham Asylum. (Photo : Getty Images/Albert L. Ortega)
The internet was rocked when there were claims that Ben Affleck wanted to quit his role as Batman surfaced. It opens the possibility that Affleck's appearance in "Justice League" or its sequel may be the last we'll see him don the cowl of the Dark Knight.
The claim was made by John Campea in Collider Movie Talk. His words: "Ben Affleck, make no mistake, he does want out," Campea shared . "He doesn't want to be Batman anymore." He added, "I've been told, Ben Affleck is talking with Warner Bros. in an attempt to get out of being Batman. And if they do not let him out of being Batman, the standalone Batman film that ultimately happens will be the last time we see Ben Affleck as Batman." (h/t Comic Book)
While the veracity of Campea's comment is still not set in stone (no confirmation or denial from Affleck or Warner) it seems like Affleck is still attached with the project no matter what. Campea claimed he had "four different sources" but somehow issues a "disclaimer" that his sources should be taken with "a grain of salt."
It seems like breaking news, but The Ringer columnist Andrew Gruttadaro contends that the signs are already leading to this. "Since March 25, 2016, the release date of 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,' we've been hurtling toward this moment."
Gruttadaro mentioned the string of failures that Affleck has had. While BvS was a box office success, it failed to break the billion dollar mark (which pundits expected because of the sheer star power of their characters), failed to outdo its Marvel counterpart ("Captain America: Civil War" broke the billion mark) and was also a critical failure.
Affleck's next projects were "The Accountant" and "Live by Night" which were both critical failures with the latter actually costing Warner Bros. a loss of $75 million (according to Variety).
Is Ben Affleck on the crossroads of his career? Does he want to have critics raving or deliver the cash? It seems like Warner Bros. has given up on challenging Marvel Studios as the better movie universe and just content to do their own thing. Sure, they won't get better reviews and even better revenues, but they will get their own huge slice of the pie.
The outcome depends on Affleck himself. "If you believe that Affleck is at a crossroads, contemplating his legacy - and I do - you're already talking about who else would make a good Batman."
