Zack Snyder's Man of Steel acted as a soft launch for what would become Warner Bros' DC Comics Extended Universe, which kicked into high gear last year with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Since Snyder's Man of Steel semi-followup would be the first live-action meeting between Superman (Henry Cavill) and the Caped Crusader, the actor chosen for the role was bound to be heavily scrutinized. And that was the case when Ben Affleck was cast as Bruce Wayne aka Batman for the film, with many criticizing the choice. However, though Batman V Superman's darker, hardened take on the superhero was divisive among some fans, Affleck's portrayal of the character was one of the standout aspects of the movie.
As such, fans are eagerly anticipating Affleck reprising the role of Batman in this year's Justice League, as well as the character's solo movie, reportedly titled The Batman - which he was set to write, direct, and star in until he recently stepped down as director. Even amid his busy schedule, though, Affleck has time to visit with his fans, as evidenced by a recent social media post.
According to an Instagram photo posted by user lala_lisa87, Affleck visited a young girl named Amara at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. A subsequent Instagram photo revealed Affleck signed the box of a Funko Pop! Batman figure for her, as well. Take a look at Affleck with Amara:
We weren't photo ready but Ben Affleck came to visit us today! We're both geeking out! ❤ #batman #benaffleck #dccomics A photo posted by ❤ LisaPizza? (@lala_lisa87) on
While it may not be necessary for actors who play superheroes on the big screen to extend that heroism to their everyday lives, it isn't uncommon for the stars of major comic book blockbusters to use their power - and, sometimes, their costumes - to brighten up the days of young fans. Tom Holland, who plays Peter Parker aka Spider-Man in Marvel Studios' Spider-Man: Homecoming, has visited children's hospitals dressed up as the webslinger on multiple occasions, while Thor and Loki themselves - Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston - visited an Australian children's hospital last year.
As for Affleck, he's coming off his latest directorial release, Live by Night, and much of the focus during his press tour turned to progress on The Batman script. But, with the recent announcement that he has stepped down as director on The Batman, fans are speculating what it could mean for the film - which has been prioritized over Justice League 2 in the DCEU release slate. Certainly, fans will get a chance to see Affleck don the cape and cowl of Batman again this year in Justice League. But, considering how positively fans responded to his take on the Dark Knight, The Batman is arguably one of the most highly anticipated releases on the DCEU slate.
