As Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice rakes in an egregious amount of cash worldwide, and as audiences become increasingly divided over whether it’s a fun flick or a terrible film, we look to the future. For Batman fans it’s an uncertain path that lies ahead: Ben Affleck, who has been receiving terrific notices for his portrayal of Bruce Wayne, is only contracted for two more movies. And neither of them is a Batman movie.
According to Patrick Whitesell, the co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor [WME]:“Well, he’s contracted to do at least Justice League One and Two, so at least three times wearing the cape.”
Also: Rapid Reviews | ‘Batman v Superman’ in Sixty Seconds (Video)
The interview at Hollywood Reporter confirms several suspicions about Affleck’s involvement with the DC superhero universe currently being established at Warner Bros. The Oscar-winning filmmaker appears to have made only a limited commitment to the cape and cowl, leaving him open to produce and direct his own projects.
But one of those projects might be Batman.
“And there’s a script that he’s written that is a really cool [Batman] idea,“ Whitesell adds in the interview. “So that’s out there as an option.”
Although many fans scoffed at the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, particularly after he starred in a disappointing Daredevil movie, those same fans are currently eating crow. (Eating bat?) Besides, Affleck’s directorial career is significantly more consistent than his acting career, having been behind the camera for some of the most acclaimed and exciting thrillers in recent years (Gone Baby Gone, The Town, Argo).
The prospect of Affleck bringing his down to earth sensibility to a Batman movie, possibly toning down Zack Snyder’s sensationalism in favor of the character-driven, moody and thoughtful dramas that the actor has become known for? Even the Batman v Superman detractors might think the most recent film was worth it.
Then again… maybe not. After all, Affleck’s screenplay may not be what Warner Bros. is looking for. They have very particular plans for the world of the DC superheroes, and while they would probably welcome an auteur like Ben Affleck in theory, in practice having too many strong voices behind the camera could dilute their ideas for the brand.
The 10 Best Ben Affleck Movies:
Top Photo: Warner Bros.
William Bibbiani (everyone calls him ‘Bibbs’) is Crave’s film content editor and critic. You can hear him every week on The B-Movies Podcast and watch him on the weekly YouTube series Most Craved and What the Flick. Follow his rantings on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
The 10 Best Ben Affleck Movies
-
10. Hollywodland (2006)
A great movie trapped inside a middling movie. Hollywoodland stars Ben Affleck as George Reeves, the actor who rose to fame as TV’s Superman, only to suffer when his newfound notoriety ruins all his other career prospects. Affleck is superb but the film cuts away from him too often, focusing instead on a detective (Adrien Brody) investigating Reeves’ untimely death, whose story isn’t nearly as involving.
Photo: Universal Studios
-
9. The Town (2010)
One of the better contemporary heist movies, The Town is the story of a bank robber (Affleck) who becomes romantically involved with a woman who became involved in one of his crimes. The plot contrivances are The Town’s weakest points. What really matters are the impressive performances (especially Jeremy Renner, as Affleck’s unstable accomplice) and Affleck’s you-are-there filmmaking.
Photo: Warner Bros.
-
8. To the Wonder (2013)
Terrence Malick’s bittersweet romance removes most of the biggest bullet points from a relationship, and shows instead the fleeting, vivid moments of tranquility, anxiety and regret. To the Wonder plays like a dip inside the memory of Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko’s characters. It may not be conventionally entertaining, but you will feel this movie in your soul.
Photo: Magnolia Pictures
-
7. The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Ben Affleck was poised to take over the popular Jack Ryan movie franchise from Harrison Ford, but the poor timing of this terrorist thriller (which came out shortly after the real-life tragedy of 9/11) doomed it to knee-jerk criticism and unimpressive box office returns. Still, Affleck is rock solid in this crackerjack political flick, about fascists who goad America and Russia right back to the brink of World War III.
Photo: Paramount Pictures
-
6. Argo (2012)
It may not be Ben Affleck’s best film, but this Best Picture winner is still smart and excellent. Affleck directs and plays CIA agent Tony Mendez, who has to fabricate a big budget Hollywood blockbuster in order to extricate six American citizens from Tehran during the infamous hostage crisis. Argo’s most exciting moments are also its most fabricated, and yet that doesn’t really matter while you’re pinned the edge of your seat.
Photo: Warner Bros.
-
5. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Ben Affleck won his first Academy Award for co-writing this seminal 1990s indie drama, about a math prodigy who refuses to leave his blue collar Boston life behind in favor of a more promising future. Acting-wise, Good Will Hunting belongs to Matt Damon (who won the lead role from Affleck in a coin toss) and Robin Williams, who plays the protagonist’s unusual therapist. But Affleck steals most of his scenes, particularly a laugh out loud bit where he impersonates his brilliant best buddy.
Photo: Miramax Films
-
4. Chasing Amy (1997)
Kevin Smith’s most dramatically ambitious film stars Ben Affleck as a comic book illustrator who falls in love with a lesbian, played by Joey Lauren Adams. The sexual politics of Chasing Amy were daring at the time, and perhaps a little “iffy” by contemporary social standards, but Affleck is great during the many frank conversations Smith’s screenplay gives him about love, sex, jealousy and the dangers of a conventional mindset (and the dangers of breaking out of it).
Photo: Miramax Films
-
3. Changing Lanes (2002)
An unusual and powerful thriller, Roger Michell’s Changing Lanes stars Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson as two men who keep getting in each other’s way, wrecking each other’s lives by accident and eventually by cruel intention. Affleck is great as the smarmy businessman who thinks he’s a better person than he really is, encouraging audience members to ask similar, disturbing questions about themselves.
Photo: Paramount Pictures
-
2. Gone Girl (2014)
David Fincher’s sadistic and cynical thriller, based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn, stars Affleck as a husband whose wife disappears under mysterious circumstances, and who becomes the #1 suspect under the harsh spotlights of 21st century media scrutiny. It’s a nail biter through and through, but when the twists start unraveling Gone Girl evolves into a truly lurid, damning exploration of a modern marriage.
Photo: 20th Century Fox
-
1. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Ben Affleck’s directorial debut stars his brother, Casey, and Michelle Monaghan as private detectives investigating the disappearance of a little girl. It’s a crackerjack mystery, and when all is finally revealed, Gone Baby Gone becomes a complex conversation about morality that will leave audience members questioning their own principles. Moreso than any other Ben Affleck movie, this is the one that will linger in your mind for days, weeks, even years.
Photo: Miramax Films
