Justice League **Spoilers from post 980 onward**

Marty McFly

Soby wrote: »

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni56087514/

Ben Affleck is Batman.

The actor will replace Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne in the upcoming untitled Superman-Batman feature for Warner Bros., the studio announced Thursday.

Affleck becomes the eighth actor to play the Caped Crusader, following Bale, George Clooney and Michael Keaton.

“We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some,” WB president Greg Silverman said in a statement.

Directed by “Man of Steel” filmmaker Zack Snyder, the Superman-Batman feature will open worldwide on July 17, 2015, with Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Diane Lane reprising their roles.

“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain

Just came in to post that, Ben Affleck not to sure about that one.

I like Ben Affleck as an actor but as Batman I just can't see it.

IncognitoMan

I guess Bale turned down all the cash.

Funnily enough I was looking through a list a while ago of actors that could play the next joker and Casey Affleck was one of their top picks.

cian68

Surprised by that. Don't have a clue where they made the connection between Batman and him.

Kiith

He's a good actor, but i just can't see him fitting the role. Bad choice imo.

Allyall

Kiith wrote: »

He's a good actor, but i just can't see him fitting the role. Bad choice imo.

George Clooney..

Then it went down extra cheesy route.

I liked the new Dark Knight Series, i fear Ben Affleck will reboot cheesiness. I hope i'm wrong.



*That could also apply to Val Kilmer, Billy Zane (The Phantom) and many, many more. I think the best suited actors for these types of roles are the lesser known, grittier actors.

gnfnrhead

Wasnt thrilled about the re-boot to begin with, even less thrilled now that Affleck is going to be Batman. Much like Allyall, I think it will see the return of the cheesy Batman unfortunately.

paddy kerins

I don't think he's a bad choice. I think he'd be great as a brooding, deadpan Batman. Bruce Wayne is another matter. Would've preferred Karl Urban, though

He'll look tthe part anyway



Obviously with a different costume

Nervous Wreck

I like Affleck. Skeptical about this. Though, I was skeptical as all **** about Ledger being Joker...

Bacchus

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

I like Affleck. Skeptical about this. Though, I was skeptical as all **** about Ledger being Joker...

Fair point but... BEN AFFLECK! I've really warmed to him in recent years with Argo, The Town & Gone Baby Gone (director only) but this doesn't sit right with me. His last foray into the comic book world (Daredevil) was quite poor. He reminds me a bit of George Clooney too. I preferred the dark angle with Batman as opposed to the playboy millionaire with Bat-credit-cards. Would be interesting to see him do a more "detective" take on Batman. That could work.

Professey Chin

Daredevil was butchered by the theatrical cut a lot. Directors Cut is actually a pretty good film (getting rid of that love scene after the rain automatically made it twice as good) and he wasn't a bad Daredevil. Costume was a bit gimpy though.

Penn

I actually think Affleck could do a pretty good job. But I was really hoping for Idris Elba (Stringer Bell in The Wire, Luther in Luther).

Roar

I think it's a great choice.

I mean, Affleck was the bomb in Phamtoms.

humanji

Batman is moody and Bruce Wayne is a smug ladies man. I can't imagine Affleck having much of a problem pulling it off.

Necronomicon

I think it's a great choice, and I'm much happier with it than with some of the other names being mooted. I only wish he was directing it, too.

On that note, this will really ramp up previous speculation that he might direct Justice League.

folan

Roar wrote: »

I think it's a great choice.

I mean, Affleck Batman was the bomb in Phamtoms yo.

my thoughts on the subject.

While I liked Bales Batman, I never got behind his Bruce Wayne. Affleck could just bridge that for me.

peteeeed

so affleck will now be the only person to have played both batman and superman

Mickeroo

I never thought of him in the role but I think he'll pull it off. He wasn't the worst thing about daredevil at all imo.

There's no way they'll go the cheesy route either after all the money they made with the Nolan movies.

Loughc

Terrible choice for Batman, I firmly expect to see Batman giving the camera brooding looks for about 20 minutes and to speak in a Jersey accent.

TheDoc

Weird choice, just don't see the fit. I havn't being let down by the recent Batman trilogy or the new Superman, and I've had skeptical outlooks on casting in all, so I'll trust the studio on this one.

Silly question, but is there some timeline issues or something ,that would prevent Gordon Levitt's character from taking up the role? That was a great ending that really sat well with me, and I'm wondering was it just that, or is there actually a chance for Levitt to down the cape and cowl ?

Berdych

TheDoc wrote: »

Weird choice, just don't see the fit. I havn't being let down by the recent Batman trilogy or the new Superman, and I've had skeptical outlooks on casting in all, so I'll trust the studio on this one.

Silly question, but is there some timeline issues or something ,that would prevent Gordon Levitt's character from taking up the role? That was a great ending that really sat well with me, and I'm wondering was it just that, or is there actually a chance for Levitt to down the cape and cowl ?

Levitt was never going to be the new batman in a movie IMO. In the Nolan's universe he becomes the next batman, but that's it, end of story, story told.

humanji

TheDoc wrote: »

Weird choice, just don't see the fit. I havn't being let down by the recent Batman trilogy or the new Superman, and I've had skeptical outlooks on casting in all, so I'll trust the studio on this one.

That's the thing. It's not like the studio just one day said "Affleck will be Batman!". They go through all sorts of casting and testing to see who will work. It's not foolproof, but it's not guesswork either.

I remember saying before that for the Star Trek films, I couldn't believe that Karl Urban had been cast as Bones, and thought it was an awful choice. But he absolutely nailed it in the films.

Silly question, but is there some timeline issues or something ,that would prevent Gordon Levitt's character from taking up the role? That was a great ending that really sat well with me, and I'm wondering was it just that, or is there actually a chance for Levitt to down the cape and cowl ?

In comics, anything's possible. But I'd guess that they're going to use Batman as a mentor character, since both Jor El and Jonathon Kent are gone. So an older, wiser and more world wary Batman would fit the role quite well.

Then again, we won't know what they have in store until it's in the cinemas.

Penn

TheDoc wrote: »

Silly question, but is there some timeline issues or something ,that would prevent Gordon Levitt's character from taking up the role? That was a great ending that really sat well with me, and I'm wondering was it just that, or is there actually a chance for Levitt to down the cape and cowl ?

He wouldn't be Bruce Wayne. In Nolan's trilogy, Bale's Batman defeated the League of Shadows, destroyed most of the corruptness in Gotham's police and political systems, and restored Gotham and gave it's people hope. JGL's Batman would only really have to keep things as they are.

JGL's Batman has neither the advanced training, history or skills that Bale's Batman did, because he doesn't really need to to help keep Gotham how Bale's Batman left it. But if you introduce Superman into the mix, JGL's Batman wouldn't stand a chance.

Besides which, the Batman/Bruce and Superman/Clark relationship is a huge one in the comics, and that's what they're going for in this new film, particularly as they're going down a 'Dark Knight Returns' type of story. JGL's Batman simply doesn't compare and wouldn't fit.

Nolan's story is over, and I'm delighted Bale isn't coming back. He was great as Batman, but if they brought him back, or even Joseph Gordon Levitt, then they'd have to stick by the events of those films, which mean Joker, Bane, Two-Face, Ra's and Talia would all be dead. Rebooting with a new Batman allows those characters to be brought back in in the future in new stories if they give Affleck a few solo Batman films too.

folan

at least its not Clooney again

I remember people being the same about Heath Ledger when he was cast as the joker so who knows!

paddy kerins

Roar wrote: »

I think it's a great choice.

I mean, Affleck was the bomb in Phamtoms.

Word, bitch, Phantoms like a mother****er!

Basq

First footage of Affleck as Batman... just hanging out with Andrew Garfield and Robert Downey Jr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoXVCixwHrA

Dman001

^^^ DaFaq I just watch.....

Warper

What an awful choice, i dont think i could have picked a worse choice

Mr Freeze

Warper wrote: »

What an awful choice, i dont think i could have picked a worse choice

I am kind of in agreement.

I would take Joseph Gordon-Levitt over Affleck.

norrie rugger

JGL is frikken tiny though??

kaimera

Sleepy

I reckon he'll pull it off. Once he can lose the Jersey accent, I can see him working quite well actually. Affleck is one of those actors it's cool to dislike but I've always felt most of it was a judgement on his relationship with Jennifer Lopez rather than on any of his serious acting roles.

Then again, I quite like the Directors Cut of DareDevil. It's not as gritty or "real" as the Dark Knight trilogy but it was certainly darker than a lot of other comic book movies had been up to that point.

I'd also like to remind people how unlikely the casting of Michael Keaton as Batman was at the time and he was wonderful in Burton's movies.

Mr Freeze

norrie rugger wrote: »

JGL is frikken tiny though??

I'm not saying I wanted him for Batman, but if someone asked before this was announced Levitt or Affleck, I would say Levitt.

I wouldn't worry about any actors height, sure they make Tom Cruise look normal height/tall in all his films. :pac:

B.A._Baracus

Ben Affleck is a good actor and director. Dude was brilliant in The Town.
But lets scroll back six years ago and alot of people were saying how Heath Ledger was such a bad choice to be Joker (I am guilty of saying this too) and look how he turned out.

SherlockWatson

Ben Affleck will be a good choice, Daredevil was hardly his fault alone.


I for one look forward to it and hope he brings a great performance.

Allyall

Jason Todd

I'm a big Ben Affleck fan, I'm a big Batman fan. I'm looking forward to seeing what he'll bring to it. My immediate thought was he'll be a great Bruce Wayne.

Rubber_Soul

I can't say I'm all that surprised the studio offered him the role, I'm more surprised that he took it. It just seems like such an odd step given how his career has been going in recent years.

That said, I think he'll do fine. I've always thought he was a good actor that just took some awful roles for the money. All morning Ive seen people use Daredevil as a stick to beat him with but imo none of the problems that made Daredevil so poor were down to Affleck's performance which is ultimately what he should be judged on. I think the film will suck but that's mainly down to the Goyer/Snyder combo than Affleck.

Jason Todd

StarshipPooper wrote: »

I can't say I'm all that surprised the studio offered him the role, I'm more surprised that he took it. It just seems like such an odd step given how his career has been going in recent years.

I know, he's asking for trouble in a way. He had to have known the reaction this would get. He's either got some set of cojones or just has total faith in his abilities.

Warper

Affleck looks incapable of playing a deeply troubled character. He is so wooden, you know he is just thinking of how awesome he looks in each shot. When i first saw he is to be the next Batman i thought it was a joke. What a shame we have this vain, crappy actor playing possibly the greatest and coolest super-hero of all time. Affleck is the definition of smugness, God i hope this new Batman gets killed very quickly. Joke of a choice imo.

DrumSteve

Get Casey Affleck in to play the Joker.

That'd be cool, two brothers playing Batman and the Joker.

Plus Casey is a great actor.

Goldstein

So it's NOT a joke then? I can kind of see why they offered Bale so much now. All I can think of is Daredevil, I imagine I'm not alone. We'll never know for sure but the difference in box office takings between who people think of currently as the actual Batman reprising his role and a wooden former Daredevil actor playing Batman must be in the hundreds of millions.

ricero

Warper wrote: »

Affleck looks incapable of playing a deeply troubled character. He is so wooden, you know he is just thinking of how awesome he looks in each shot. When i first saw he is to be the next Batman i thought it was a joke. What a shame we have this vain, crappy actor playing possibly the greatest and coolest super-hero of all time. Affleck is the definition of smugness, God i hope this new Batman gets killed very quickly. Joke of a choice imo.

SherlockWatson

Warper wrote: »

Affleck looks incapable of playing a deeply troubled character. He is so wooden, you know he is just thinking of how awesome he looks in each shot. When i first saw he is to be the next Batman i thought it was a joke. What a shame we have this vain, crappy actor playing possibly the greatest and coolest super-hero of all time. Affleck is the definition of smugness, God i hope this new Batman gets killed very quickly. Joke of a choice imo.

A lot of personal judgements about a man you've never met.

JP Liz V1

Come on Affleck has to be better than Clooney :P

humanji

humanji wrote: »

I remember saying before that for the Star Trek films, I couldn't believe that Karl Urban had been cast as Bones, and thought it was an awful choice. But he absolutely nailed it in the films.

Remember when they also thought the same about Quinto and Pine? They also pretty much owned those roles too.

This happens all the time though; Bruce Willis was always a comedy/melodramatic actor and didn't people doubt his performance before Die Hard?

eyeball kid

Used to hate Affleck as an actor but I've kinda warmed to him with his last couple of films, Argo, The Town. Really enjoyed Gone Baby, Gone as well. Don't think he's a great actor but he might be able to pull this off.

Mocha Joe

eyeball kid wrote: »

Used to hate Affleck as an actor but I've kinda warmed to him with his last couple of films, Argo, The Town. Really enjoyed Gone Baby, Gone as well. Don't think he's a great actor but he might be able to pull this off.

Gone Baby Gone starred Casey, directed by Ben. Which is the perfect way to do things imo. As much as it was good to see Affleck turn things around for himself and he was solid in The Town and Argo, I'm not sure he can pull this off.

I think they should have went with a fairly unknown actor.

FortuneChip

I think there's a lot of harsh criticism being thrown at Ben Affleck here.
He's not in the same league as DiCaprio or Daniel Day Lewis etc, but I think people have too lofty an idea of how "troubled" Bruce Wayne's character is. I don't think it will be the most demanding role at all; it's likely that this won't be an origin story (hard to do without making it a Batman featuring Superman movie), so I don't see how they'll get time to delve into both personas of Batman anyway.

No matter who was picked, I think everyone will be looking to see the new installment of the character Nolan developed in the Dark Knight Trilogy; those movies are too fresh in everyone's mind to disregard when watching this new series.

Allyall

FortuneChip wrote: »

No matter who was picked, I think everyone will be looking to see the new installment of the character Nolan developed in the Dark Knight Trilogy; those movies are too fresh in everyone's mind to disregard when watching this new series.

I agree that Affleck could play the role, as i think he is okay as an actor, but i don't think he'd suit it. Or that it'd suit him.
He's playing an older Batman, right? Against younger Superman. So maybe it'll only be for the one movie.

I'll still definitely go to see it, and i'll be quite happy to be wrong .

In a way i'd prefer it. When you expect less it seems better.