It was a story waiting to happen. The last reboot of the DC Universe on the big screen started on the wrong foot, with a failed “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2015) that cast doubt on its leads. Although titles like “Wonder Woman” (2017) and “Aquaman” (2018) considerably raised the bar, the lack of cohesion and the notable success of its competition have taken a toll on the DCEU. Affleck will no longer be Batman, and here at NeoTeo we tell you the details of Ben’s departure and the uncertainty that lies ahead for DC.
After months of silence, Deadline confirmed Affleck’s departure and some details about the release of “The Batman”. This leaves us with some questions: What will happen with “Justice League 2”? Will this be Affleck’s last appearance or will they bring in a new Batman? How will the DCEU be reorganized? Will the plans for the remaining movies continue?
The American actor and director also confirmed the news on his Twitter account. “Excited for “The Batman” in the summer of 2021 and to see Matt Reeves’ vision come true,” Ben wrote last Wednesday, with good vibes for the new project and, in a way, passing the torch to a new, younger Batman. Currently, Ben is producing the adaptation of Kate Alice Marshall’s novel “I Am Still Alive”, which is set to release next year.
The Road to “The Batman”
Let’s recap. After the lukewarm success of “Justice League”, Warner announced “The Batman”. At first, it was Batfleck himself who would direct and star, along with a script he had written with Geoff Johns and Chris Terrio. Shortly after, Warner scrapped that idea. Enter Matt Reeves as director, and problems resurfaced, as Ben Affleck had several personal conflicts during 2018.
And What About Cavill?
Another actor who was in question until recently was Henry Cavill. The actor who plays Superman, along with Ben, was on the list of possible exits from DC. Beyond the conflict I’ll call “The drama of the CGI mustache when it was easier to shave it off and use a fake one for the other movie” (maybe a bit long), the real problem lay in disagreements between the actor and Warner. Finally, via an Instagram post, Henry made his future as the Man of Steel clear.
The New Batman Movie
Regarding the next Batman title, we know it will be directed by Matt Reeves and will feature a young Bruce Wayne. According to the director himself, it will not be based on the “Batman: Year One” comic.
“Year One is one of the many comics I love. We are definitely not doing Year One. It’s exciting to focus specifically on a story that defines him and is very personal to him. Obviously we are not doing an origin story or anything like that. However, we are telling a story that is definitely Batman, and we are trying to tell a story that is emotional and yet deals with the world’s greatest detective and all the things that, since I was a child, made me love Batman,” announced Reeves.
Farewell
The actor who played the caped crusader in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, “Suicide Squad”, and “Justice League” leaves a project he dreamed of accomplishing but that will not be possible. Meanwhile, “The Batman” will be released on June 25, 2021, directed by Matt Reeves and without Batfleck. It will be a new beginning for the Dark Knight and perhaps also for DC, which has more doubts than certainties about the continuation of its DCEU.
Source: Deadline, ComicBook
