It's no secret that Justice League star Ben Affleck was originally going to write, direct and star in the movie that came to be known as The Batman before deciding to part ways with the project, and earlier this year, we learned that Warner Bros. actually asked Matt Reeves to adapt Affleck's version of the script.
At the time, Reeves explained that while he felt the script - which was co-written by Geoff Johns - was "a totally valid take," it simply wasn't the more personal Batman story the War For the Planet of The Apes filmmaker was interested in telling.
Now, the director has elaborated on his decision to pass on that original idea for The Batman while speaking on The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith podcast to promote the movie's Blu-ray release.
"The movie was originally going to be directed by Ben Affleck, and the script they sent me had been written by Ben but rewritten by another very talented writer, and when I read it, I was like, 'Oh, I get it.' It was a standalone Batman film that was centered on Ben's version of the character, but it was more action-driven than what I felt I could do. I didn't connect to the movie in terms of me as a filmmaker. It was very James Bond-ian; it was filled with a lot of set pieces. It could have been a very exciting movie for someone else to do, but it wasn't for me to do."
Dark Knight fans remain curious about Affleck's now defunct take on a standalone Batman film, but it's difficult to imagine too many people having an issue with the movie Reeves delivered.
A sequel to The Batman was officially announced during CinemaCon, with Reeves and star Robert Pattinson confirmed to return. Whether Barry Keoghan's Joker will factor into the story remains to be seen.