Affleck Will Answer To Affleck In Upcoming DC Film
By Jeff Feuerhaken
Even before the release of the divisive Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, there has been rampant speculation as to who could take over the directing reins for the next solo Batman film. Christopher Nolan, who had directed the last three Batman films starring Christian Bale as the Dark Knight, had left massive shoes to fill when he decided to pass on directing duties. Now that Batman V Superman has for the most part established an idea of what’s to come for the DC cinematic universe, Warner Bros. has decided to show some of their hand as to what fans can expect in the near future, and the future is more Affleck.
At CinemaCon in Vegas this past Tuesday, Warner Bros. chief Kevin Tsujihara announced that a new standalone Batman adventure is now in the works, and Affleck will not only star in, but will also direct the film. For anyone who saw Batman V Superman, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Many critics expressed that Affleck was the best thing about that convoluted movie, so the studio’s trust in him to continue to don the cape and cowl is justified. Affleck has also proven himself as a director, most recently with the Academy Award winning Argo, but other films such as The Town and Gone Baby Gone display a genuine talent behind the camera. There are now many wildly different iterations of the Batman character put to film, and it will be interesting to see what Affleck’s version will be like.
A looming question is whether or not Affleck chooses to retain the uber dark, somber tone of Batman V Superman, or to infuse his own tastes into the project. Both Batman V Superman and 2013’s Man Of Steel were directed by Zack Snyder, whose signature tone has set the stage for what’s to come in the DC cinematic universe. From what we’ve seen of David Ayer’s upcoming Suicide Squad, it also appears to share a similar aesthetic quality, which is in stark contrast to the bright, colorful palette of rival Marvel’s slate. Tsujihara announced that the studio was looking to release 10 DC films in the next 5 years, so it’s likely we will eventually begin to see some diversity as a result of the variation of talent that must be brought onboard to achieve such a tall task. Time will tell if Affleck’s Batman movie will be the first one to bring in a fresh new take.
