Ben Affleck, known for his role as Batman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, recently shared with GQ that his experience playing the Caped Crusader for DC was "excruciating." After nearly a decade in the role, Affleck's journey through the Snyder-verse left him disinterested in the superhero genre. He explained that his challenging experience wasn't solely due to the nature of superhero films but rather a confluence of factors.
"There are a number of reasons why that was a really excruciating experience," Affleck stated. He highlighted a "misalignment of agendas, understandings, and expectations" within DC, though he also acknowledged his own contributions to the negative experience. "I wasn’t bringing anything particularly wonderful to that equation at the time, either," he admitted, reflecting on how his personal unhappiness impacted his work. "I mean, my failings as an actor, you can watch the various movies and judge. But more of my failings in terms of why I had a bad experience, part of it is that what I was bringing to work every day was a lot of unhappiness," he added.
Affleck's tenure with DC began with Batman v. Superman, co-starring with Henry Cavill, and extended through various projects including Justice League (both the 2017 original and the 2021 Snyder Cut), The Flash, and a cameo in Suicide Squad. His planned standalone Batman film, which was rumored to explore 80 years of the Dark Knight's history, delve into Arkham Asylum, and possibly feature Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke, was ultimately canceled.
Affleck credits his decision to step away from the role to advice from longtime collaborator Matt Damon and feedback from his own son. He noted that his son was too scared to watch Batman v. Superman, indicating a disconnect with younger audiences. "Then I think that’s when you had a filmmaker that wanted to continue down that road and a studio that wanted to recapture all the younger audience at cross purposes," he said, describing the conflicting visions that contributed to his departure.
As DC moves forward, it is separating its storytelling into grittier and more lighthearted paths. The darker narratives will continue with The Batman 2 in 2027, while the lighter tone will be explored in James Gunn's DCU, starting with Superman this July. However, fans should not expect Affleck to return to DC to direct a film in Gunn's new universe.
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