Ben Affleck Gets Candid About His Real Reasons For Leaving The Role Of BATMAN Behind

Ben Affleck Gets Candid About His Real Reasons For Leaving The Role Of BATMAN Behind

While doing press for Justice League, Ben Affleck claimed he would return to play Batman again in a new solo outing for the character. Of course, that didn't happen, and the actor has now revealed why...

By MarkCassidy - Feb 18, 2020 02:02 PM EST
Filed Under: The Batman
Ben Affleck has opened up about his decision to leave the role of Bruce Wayne behind in a new interview with The New York Times, and while it sounds like the pressures of filming Justice League and the backlash the movie received did play a big part, he also had a far more serious reason for passing on directing and starring in The Batman.

During the interview, Affleck speaks candidly about his struggles with alcoholism when his marriage to Jennifer Garner ended, and his attempts to get sober and get his career back on track after Justice League. As we know, the actor had signed on to helm the solo Batman film and reprise the role of The Dark Knight, but after showing the script to a friend he received a big wake-up call.

“I showed somebody The Batman script,” Affleck recalled. “They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went though again.”

Hearing something like that would be enough to make anyone stop and take stock of their career (and life), and it's hardy surprising that Affleck ultimately stepped away from the project and the character.

Matt Reeves' film will utilize an all-new script, so we may never find out what Affleck's version of The Batman would have been like. Perhaps he'll spill a few details once the movie is released and he feels more comfortable discussing his take. In the meantime, we wish him the best as he endeavors to overcome his problems and rejuvenate his career. 

Be sure to check out the  interview in full here, and let us know what you think in the comments.
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soberchimera
soberchimera - 2/18/2020, 2:21 PM
Bracing myself for all the drinking jokes.
CaptainMexico
CaptainMexico - 2/18/2020, 3:04 PM
@soberchimera - so you’re saying he could still play the live action Duffman?
Nebula
Nebula - 2/18/2020, 3:41 PM
@soberchimera -
soberchimera
soberchimera - 2/18/2020, 5:37 PM
@Nebula - Uhhhh, comment above yours...
Nebula
Nebula - 2/18/2020, 6:41 PM
@soberchimera - One.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 2/18/2020, 7:11 PM
@Nebula - It's ok, I know millenials don't like to read.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 2/19/2020, 6:05 AM
@TheJustinHammer -

Seriously though, take a chill pill, this is slacktivism at its worst.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 2/19/2020, 12:17 PM
@TheJustinHammer - You're the one who's slinging mud, you crappy adaptation of a great villain from a crappy movie.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/18/2020, 2:22 PM
That is a very good reason to lay it down. But I also believe everybody yammering about his Batman role at every vhance didn't help either.

Shame though, I really wanted a Batman vs Deathstroke movie
tylerzero
tylerzero - 2/18/2020, 3:21 PM
@MalseMarcel - I know it was just an end-credits cameo but I seeing Joe as Slade left me very unimpressed (I think it was the costume).
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 2/18/2020, 2:24 PM
His health is more important than any role. I'm glad he seems to be getting better.
narrow290
narrow290 - 2/18/2020, 2:25 PM
Affleck had the best suit!
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 2/18/2020, 2:50 PM
@narrow290 - and that was kinda it for that version of the character. As almost everything Snyder, cool to look at and not much else.
MovieMonster
MovieMonster - 2/18/2020, 2:25 PM
As much as I'm looking forward to seeing what Reeves and Pattinson will do in The Batman, I am curious about what Affleck had originally planned. I remember getting hyped when he released that Deathstroke test footage. But it never came to be.

When Reeves was brought on, was he already banking on the young Batman angle or were they going to follow the same Batman introduced in BvS? The development process of the project has been interesting to say the least.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 2/18/2020, 2:26 PM
Could he have been talking about the backlash from batman v superman or does he explicitly state justice league? He looked pretty down in some of those press junkets when the reviews came out so all for the better.
tmp3
tmp3 - 2/18/2020, 2:39 PM
@MyCoolYoung - In the piece it sounds like he's talking about his marriage dissolving on top of the pressure of directing and starring in a $200m+ tentpole movie
ALegendaryPanda
ALegendaryPanda - 2/18/2020, 2:26 PM
Genuinely wish him all the best, addiction is definitely no joke. His Batman movie probably would've been great, but I'm very excited to see what Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson are bringing to this character.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 2/18/2020, 2:27 PM






Affleck was one of the few bright spots in BVS for me. He could’ve been awesome given the right director.
Solarkalel85
Solarkalel85 - 2/18/2020, 3:17 PM
@regularmovieguy - yep.he was unreal in the part
knocturnalzen10
knocturnalzen10 - 2/18/2020, 3:22 PM
@regularmovieguy - the rage he fought with was like in the Dark knight returns .... that Bruce was aggressive and borderline primal at certain points
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 2/18/2020, 3:27 PM
@knocturnalzen10

Those grunts he made...his ferocity. I loved it. Throwing the dude through the wall, that look he gives that last henchmen after he pulls the knife out of his shoulder. Perfect.

The killing I could’ve even been okay with it Snyder laid out more context and given him an emotional turning point. Him and Alfred needed more exploring.
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