The Big Picture
- Ben Affleck’s Batman film would have taken the Dark Knight in a new direction not seen before on the big screen.
- The project was described as “fucking awesome” and was going to explore untapped Batman storylines.
- Unfortunately, personal reasons caused Affleck to step away, but those involved in the project still hold it in high regard.
Six years after the departure of Ben Affleck from his directing and starring role in a Batman film, a prominent member of DC’s extended universe has shed light on the potential direction of the “Batfleck” feature, hinting at an unprecedented cinematic interpretation of the Dark Knight.
Affleck voluntarily withdrew from the project, titled “The Batman,” due to personal reasons, coinciding with the end of his marriage. In a 2020 interview with the New York Times, Affleck candidly discussed his struggles: “I showed somebody the Batman script,” he revealed. “They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through again.”
Jay Oliva, a storyboard artist and director involved in various DC projects, including acclaimed animated films like “The Dark Knight Returns” and “Flashpoint Paradox,” has shared some insights into the abandoned Affleck project in an interview with Inverse. Although unable to disclose specific details, Oliva expressed enthusiasm about the film’s potential.
