Ben Affleck will return as Bruce Wayne in Ezra Miller’s “The Flash” movie, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.
Affleck last played Wayne in 2017’s “Justice League.” According to Vanity Fair, who first reported the news, Affleck got the script at the end of last week and agreed this week to join the project.
According to an insider with knowledge of the project, conversations with Affleck started in the last couple of months to pique his interest in joining the “The Flash.” Before committing, Affleck had notes on the script which were addressed in the draft given to him last week, and he finally agreed to join the project in the last couple of days. Additionally, Affleck will suit up once again as Batman in the movie. Also of note, there will be no other films with Affleck’s Batman or an HBO MAX show as has been rumored online amongst fanboy outlets. Matt Reeves upcoming “The Batman” will not be affected and Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is still viewed as the future of the franchise.
Director Andrés Muschietti elaborated to Vanity Fair in an interview on what Affleck’s return means to “The Flash.”
“His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong, which is his masculinity–because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline –but he’s also very vulnerable,” Muschietti said. “He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.”
“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie. The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before,” Muschietti added. “It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”
Ben Affleck’s Batman is not the only Batman to return, as Michael Keaton is still in talks to return to the role of Batman from the 1989 Tim Burton film, as TheWrap first exclusively reported.
The plot of “The Flash” will introduce general audiences to the idea of the multiverse, one of the of core concepts underpinning DC Comics. For the non fanboy set, the multiverse refers to a shifting number of alternate universes that coexist within the larger reality depicted in DC comics. Originally created to explain various contradictory changes the company’s characters experienced over decades, it allows several different versions of the same characters to simultaneously exist and, occasionally, interact.
'The Batman': What We Know So Far About Matt Reeves Superhero Movie (Photos)
With The Batman resuming production in London starting in September, TheWrap takes a look at what we know so far about Matt Reeves take on the iconic caped crusader.
Not another origin story
Reeves has described his film as a “defining” and “very personal” story about the Dark Knight, rather than an origin story in the vein of Frank Miller’s beloved “Year One” series.
Robert Pattinson
After an exhaustive search for the next Bruce Wayne following Ben Affleck’s departure, Robert Pattinson beat out Nicholas Hoult to be the next actor to don the cape and cowl for a new trilogy of Batman films.
The Dark Knight Detetctive
As TheWrap has previously reported, according to insiders with knowledge of the project, Reeves’ superhero movie will explore Bruce Wayne’s second year as the Dark Knight detective.
The Batsuit
Earlier this year, Matt Reeves revealed a moody first look at Robert Pattinson’s Batsuit on his Twitter account, set against Michael Giacchino’s haunting score for the upcoming superhero movie. The footage unveiled a bulky set of armor which appears to use the gun that killed Bruce’s parents as the bat symbol on his chest.
The Batmobile
After sharing some test footage of Robert Pattinson in costume for “The Batman,” director Matt Reeves tweeted some official images from the film of the Batmobile. The dark images reveal a sleeker, but still industrial sort of vehicle that differs from Christopher Nolan’s vision in “The Dark Knight” films.
The Bat Cycle
A photo from the set of "The Batman" revealed a full look at Robert Pattinson's Batsuit, along with what could be be the caped crusader's batcycle. Following Warner Bros.' official reveal earlier this year, the new photo also show what appear to be spikes on the forearms of the iconic crime fighter's costume.
Alfred Pennyworth
As TheWrap first exclusively reported, Andy Serkis will play Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred raised Bruce Wayne after his parents were killed, and continued to serve as his staunchest supporter and confidante when Bruce embarked on his war on crime as Batman.
Commissioner Gordon
Jeffrey Wright will play Commissioner Gordon in “The Batman,” director Matt Reeves revealed last year. Created in 1939 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Jim Gordon is commissioner of Gotham City’s police department, most often portrayed as a veteran officer who formed an unofficial partnership with Batman first to combat systemic corruption inside GPD and later to deal with the supervillains plaguing the city.
The Riddler
Paul Dano will play Edward Nashton, also known as the Riddler in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” The Riddler first appeared in “Detective Comics #140” in October 1948 and is a criminal mastermind in Gotham City who likes to incorporate riddles and puzzles into his schemes. He is also one of Batman’s biggest foes. In live-action, the Riddler was played by Frank Gorshin on the 1960s “Batman” TV series, and by Jim Carrey in 1995’s “Batman Forever.”
DC Comics, CCO, Publisher, and comic book legend Jim Lee revealed promo artwork of Robert Pattinson as Batman ahead of the DC Fandome Hall of Heroes event which will reveal footage put together from the seven weeks of production before the shutdown.
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The film will be released on Oct. 1, 2021
With The Batman resuming production in London starting in September, TheWrap takes a look at what we know so far about Matt Reeves take on the iconic caped crusader.
