Ben Affleck On How His BATMAN Will Differ To Christian Bale's, Internet Reaction And More
Ben Affleck talks in detail about his reaction to the negative responses about him being cast as the Caped Crusader in Batman Vs. Superman, how his "older and wiser version" will differ to Christian Bale's, and whether he views this role as a way of making up for Daredevil. Check it out!
"I expected that reaction," Ben Affleck told Playboy Magazine when they asked how he felt to see some of the slightly more extreme reactions to the news that Zack Snyder had chosen him to play Batman in his follow-up to Man of Steel. "Warner Bros. told me, 'You should know what you’re getting into.' They showed me the reactions to other folks who had been cast in these roles. They said this is how it tends to play out initially." As for how they managed to convince him to sign up for a role in the movie, the Argo director added, "When they asked if I would be Batman, I told them I don’t see myself in the role and I was going to have to beg off. They said I’d fit well into how they were going to approach the character and asked me to look at what the writer-director, Zack Snyder, was doing. The stuff was incredible."
The last few years have obviously seen Affleck taken seriously as both an actor and director thanks to movies like Argo and The Town, so why on Earth would he agree to once again suit up as a comic book character? It's all down to Zack Snyder! "It was a unique take on Batman that was still consistent with the mythology. It made me excited. All of a sudden I had a reading of the character. When people see it, it will make more sense than it does now or even than it did to me initially. I don’t want to give away too much, but the idea for the new Batman is to redefine him in a way that doesn’t compete with the Bale and Chris Nolan Batman but still exists within the Batman canon. It will be an older and wiser version, particularly as he relates to Henry Cavill’s Superman character." It definitely sounds as if Batman and Superman's relationship will be an interesting one, while these comments make it clear that this universe is indeed separate to Nolan's.
"I understand I’m at a disadvantage with the internet," Affleck responded when he was once again asked how he felt to see petitions and raging editorials about him playing Batman. As it turns out, he's making it a priority to ensure that this movie isn't a repeat of Daredevil! "If I thought the result would be another Daredevil, I’d be out there picketing myself. [laughs] Why would I make the movie if I didn’t think it was going to be good and that I can be good in it? The only movie I actually regret is Daredevil. It just kills me. I love that story, that character, and the fact that it got [frick]ed up the way it did stays with me. Maybe that’s part of the motivation to do Batman." How do you guys feel about these comments? Sound off below!