I remain conflicted about theDCEU’s canceledBatmanmovie – I wish I could have seen it, but its cancellation led to my all-time favorite Batman movie. Few superhero franchises have had as tumultuous a journey asthe DCEU timeline. Amid the highs and lows of its decade-long experiment, one particular casualty still haunts me as both a painful loss and a strange gift: the solo Batman film that Ben Affleck was supposed to write, direct, and star in. Its cancellation left a void – but also paved the way for one that ultimately became my favorite.
Ben Affleck debuted as Batman in 2016’sBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, offering a darker, more world-weary take on the character. His performance stood out, even amid the film’s divisive reception. With the Snyderverse already expanding, Warner Bros. wasted little time announcing that Affleck would helm his own Batman solo film, which he was also co-writing alongside DC stalwart Geoff Johns.
A Batman Movie Starring Ben Affleck Could Have Been Something Truly Special
Affleck Would Have Written, Directed, And Starred In The DCEU’s Batman Movie
Ben Affleck’sBatmanmovie was rumored to center around Arkham Asylum and a psychological descent into madness, with Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke as the central villain. This would’ve been Batman’s answer toThe RaidorDie Hard, taking place mostly in one location with grounded action and emotional stakes. For many, myself included, thissounded like the most exciting Batman concept in years.
Unfortunately, it never materialized. Affleck stepped away from directing, then from writing, and eventually, from the role entirely. Creative differences, personal challenges, and thebroader implosion of the Snyderverse all contributed. As such, the DCEU’s solo Batman film – so long in development – vanished before a single frame was shot.
There’s a lot of “what if” energy surrounding Affleck’s Batman movie. His performance inBatman v SupermanandZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguehinted at a layered, emotionally broken Bruce Wayne who’d been through the wringer – loss, grief, and decades of crime-fighting. Affleck’s older, hardened Batman was themost physically imposing version seen on-screen, and his interpretation brought new narrative possibilities that no prior Batman film had explored.
The notion of Batman being locked in Arkham, fending off inmates he’d personally put away over a decades-long career, plus Deathstroke, a skilled and personal antagonist, creates arecipe for an intense, intimate, action-packed thriller. The tone promised to be more grounded thanJustice Leaguebut more kinetic and comic-book faithful than Christopher Nolan’s realism.
Ben Affleck’s Batman Movie Paving The Way To The Batman Is A Complicated Matter
The Batman Became Matt Reeves’ Vision Instead
What’s both frustrating and fascinating is how thecollapse of Affleck’sBatmanultimately opened the door for a completely different vision. With Affleck out, director Matt Reeves was brought in and offered the chance to reboot the project entirely. Rather than continue within the DCEU, Reeves pitched a standalone detective noir with a younger Bruce Wayne, oneunconnected to the continuity that had grown increasingly convoluted.
The result wasThe Batman(2022), starring Robert Pattinson in a brooding, year-two version of the Caped Crusader. Despite my disappointment over losing Affleck’s film, Reeves’The Batmanquickly became my favorite Batman movie ever made.The Batmandelivered everything I never knew I needed.
Its tone was consistent and immersive, its mystery-driven plot played like a genuine detective story, and Pattinson’s Batman felt closer to the haunted vigilante of the comics than any version before. The cinematography, the sound design, the stripped-down gadgets – it all worked. The Gotham of Reeves’ film is themost atmospheric to date, and Michael Giacchino’s score still echoes in my mind.
Ben Affleck’s Batman Could Have Saved The DCEU
Therein lies the emotional whiplash. I loveThe Batmanand wouldn’t trade it for anything – except, maybe, the movie it replaced. What stings the most is that audiences could have had both. Affleck’s movie wouldn’t have needed to contradict Reeves’ film; it could have existed in parallel as the franchisenow does with James Gunn’s DCU.
While the DCEU was floundering with inconsistent tone and direction, a solo Batman film could have grounded the universe again, given audiences a reason to invest in the core heroes. Affleck’s Batman had unfinished business – emotional arcs with Alfred, legacy questions, the Robin storyline – and it deserved closure. Even more frustrating is that Affleck’s Batman only appeared in ensemble line-ups, when a solo moviemight have given the DCEU the boost it needed.
Instead, a promising character arc dissolved behind the scenes. By the time the DCEU fizzled out completely, the chance for a definitive Batman moment within that universe had long passed. Even thoughThe Batmanwas a triumph, it arrived as part of a separate continuity thatdidn’t help the franchise that had initially introduced Affleck’s Batman at all. So, while I’m glad we gotThe Batman, I’ll never stop wondering what could’ve been if Affleck had gotten the chance to finish what he started.
