New DCU creative leader James Gunn shares his thoughts on Ben Affleck's Batman amid uncertainty over the latest chapter of the DCU. Affleck's casting as Batman back in 2013 was met initially with severe fan backlash. The actor/director changed minds after his debut as the Dark Knight in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where Affleck's Batman served as the controversial movie's shining grace. The actor reprised the role for three DC movies: Suicide Squad, Justice League, and Zack Snyder's Justice League.DC Studios Co-CEO Gunn shared his honest thoughts on Twitter about Affleck's version of Batman. Gunn's teases of the future of the DCU on social media since being appointed as the universe's new architect, alongside producer Peter Safran, have given fans an outlook of what to expect from the DCU going forward. One DC fan asked Gunn if he enjoyed Affleck's portrayal of Batman, likely hoping that the DC Head would include the actor in his future DCU plans. Check out Gunn's answer below:
How Ben Affleck's Batman Can Fit In The New DCU
No one other than Gunn and Safran knows what the future holds for the DCU. With that fact, the possibility of Affleck's Batman playing a role in the franchise is still unclear. What can be done for now is speculation, and every train of thought leads to the necessity of the DCU having a Batman that can lead the universe for at least a decade. As far as fans can tell, that Batman doesn't appear to be Robert Pattinson's version, as his iteration looks to continue being locked away in Matt Reeves' universe. With Pattinson out of the way, other options remain possible for the future DCU Batman, including Affleck.
Another choice for leading DCU Batman would be the returning Michael Keaton. The original 1989 Batman movie cemented the Dark Knight as a cultural phenomenon, and Keaton became forever associated with the character. The DCU will bring back Keaton's iconic Batman on next year's The Flash, which will see Ezra Miller's Barry Allen traverse the Multiverse. Shortly after Keaton's surprise return was confirmed, reports popped up that the actor would continue as the main DCU Batman in a mentor role for new heroes. The cancelation of Batgirl, which would've featured Keaton after the movie had finished production, put a damper on Keaton's DCU future. With the new change in DC management, it appears that a younger Batman might be the way the DCU will go.
Affleck's version of Batman's younger than Keaton's and could easily appear over the next decade of DC films before passing on the mantle to a younger actor or maybe the already-cast Pattinson via Multiverse shenanigans. Affleck's unproduced Batman movie included Deathstroke and has intrigued fans over the years, which could likely translate to great box office numbers should Gunn and Safran decide to revisit the idea in the new DCU. The actor previously stated he was done with the character before surprisingly signing on for The Flash and Aquaman 2. Should fans show up for both 2023 movies and garner enough online chatter about Affleck's performance in those, Gunn might be inclined to look at the possibility of Affleck continuing as the main DCU Batman for this new chapter in the franchise.
Source: James Gunn/Twitter
