There has been no shortage of live-action Batmen since Lewis Wilson first played the hero in the 1943 serial series. However, the personality and tone of the hero has varied wildly across his many incarnations. Even recently, many fans of the Michael Keaton and Christian Bale iterations of the character have gawked at how grim The Dark Knight became in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
This new version of Batman, played by Ben Affleck, will next be seen later this year in Justice League. He is also expected to direct his own solo film in the tentatively titled The Batman.
In a recent interview, Cineplex Magazine asked Affleck what differentiates him from his predecessors, like Christian Bale who first played the character in 2005's Batman Begins:
“It’s different in terms of tone and, obviously, just a different actor. I think the most profound difference is that I’m playing the part at an older age than those guys were when they played it, and it’s about a guy who’s had a long life of this experience, rather than someone who’s just setting out on the journey to become this guy. He’s older and wiser, I guess. And he was pretty pissed off in Batman v Superman, but now it’s not about finding revenge in Justice League, it’s about protecting the Earth. So the feel is different.”
Affleck also touched on the shift in the DCEU's tone that's coming in his appearance later this year:
“Justice League, you probably saw the teaser that came out of Comic-Con; I thought it is nicely emblematic of the kind of minor tone shift and segue in storytelling. It’s a little bit lighter, the characters are a little bit more comfortable in themselves, so they can express a wider array of emotions. And there are just more people in it, so it’s more fun. It’s all of these different characters bumping up against each other and the team dynamic offers a lot of dramatic possibility.”
As for The Batman solo film, whose potentially troubled development has made recent headlines, Affleck had some encouraging words for fans.
“We’re still working on it, taking a little extra time and a little extra care to really get it right on paper first. But it’s looking very good and I’m excited about it.”
It sounds like Affleck will be able to flex his acting skills a bit more by showing us additional sides of the Caped Crusader in upcoming chapters. This can only be good news for fans who felt that his portrayal had potential in Batman v Superman but lacked nuance.
Stay tuned to Screen Rant for updates on the DCEU's slate as they hit.
Source: Cineplex Magazine
