Love him, or hate him, Ben Affleck is your new Batman, and he's getting ready to make his new superhero debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . Affleck is taking the cape from Christian Bale, who starred in the highly successful, and critically beloved Dark Knight trilogy. In other words, he's got a tough act to follow. It makes sense, then, that Affleck has been hesitant to commit to a standalone Batman movie in addition to his commitments to Batman v Superman and future Justice League films. Still, rumors have been stirring, and fans demand to know whether or not Ben Affleck will get standalone Batman movies after Batman v Superman .
Superhero movies are known for spurring extensive studio contracts with the actors in them, so it's hard to believe that Affleck hasn't already committed to some kind of solo Batman movie. However, Affleck has already been confirmed for three other DC Universe films — Suicide Squad and two Justice League films — bringing the total to four films. It's possible that Affleck's contract only covers those four films, after all he is Ben Affleck. That said, there's no doubt that Warner Bros. is interested in the possibility of a standalone Batman film.
Affleck, too, seems interested in starring in his own Batman film, though his statements on the subject have been vague. "If there comes a point that I want to do Batman, and there's a script and it works, then I'll do it," he said in an interview with The New York Times. It's a pretty generic answer, one that doesn't confirm or deny any plans, but one thing stands out, and that's his control: "If there comes a point that I want to do Batman."(Emphasis ours.) In another interview, when asked about the prospect of directing himself in a standalone Batman movie, Affleck told Total Film, "Look, if I could make it work, yeah, obviously it would be a dream."
Batman v Superman producer Charles Roven seemed to imply that the final decision of a solo Batman film lies in Affleck's hands. When asked about the odds of a Batman movie, Roven reportedly tempered expectations in the same Total Film story, citing Affleck's busy schedule as one possible roadblock, before adding, "Of course, the script obviously has to be worthy of him wanting to direct it, and once that happens, it's still got to fit into the calendar."
So, what does this all mean for a standalone Batman movie? Well, for one thing it means that even if a Batman movie becomes a reality, it won't hit theaters for at least two years. Sorry, guys, but even if production started tomorrow, a movie of that scale wouldn't be released before 2018. More than that, these vague answers mean that a standalone Batman movie will live and die by the response to Batman v Superman, and specifically the response to Affleck as Batman. Of course, studios don't care as much about critical reception as they do about box office receipts. If Batman v Superman gets pummeled by critics, but still manages to make billions of dollars (which, let's face it, seems likely), then I have no doubt that Warner Bros. would greenlight a Batman movie. However, Affleck already has one failed superhero venture under his belt. If I had to bet on it, I'd bet a superhero movie budget that Affleck's decision to participate in a solo Batman movie will depend on the critics.
Of course, this is all just speculation. Fans have seen enough superhero movies to know that with or without Affleck, there will be another Batman movie coming within the next ten or so years.
Images: Warner Bros.; Giphy (2)
