Ben Affleck's Batman stunt-double, Richard Cetrone, revealed why he was so eager to use guns while filming a scene of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Cetrone has also doubled for Affleck's Batman in Suicide Squad and Justice League. Although, neither of those two Batman appearances was as controversial as the Dark Knight's BvS gunfight scenes.
Batman v Superman drew ire from many for director Zack Snyder’s approach to the Dark Knight. The most vocal criticisms focused on Batman's use of firearms in the film. However, that conversation seemed to come hand-in-hand with a discussion about Snyder's Batman killing multiple people throughout the movie's runtime. In most modern depictions of Batman, the character has two rules: he doesn't murder, and he won't use guns. Snyder's decision to disregard those fairly well-established character traits certainly provoked a response from those who felt it violated the core concepts that define Batman. While the choice still divides many, it made the stuntwork a lot more exciting for Cetrone.
Cetrone explained why he was so excited for the gunfight scene on an episode of the Batman v Superman: By the Minute podcast. The action-packed sequence at minute 67 only takes up 30 seconds of screentime, but it's one of the most polarizing sequences in the film. Armed with a handheld pistol in one hand and an automatic rifle in the other, Batman battles multiple men from Superman’s fascist army. “I knew that we were going to incorporate the guns and not so much for the shooting aspect of the guns, but I knew that we were going to incorporate the guns in strikes,” Cetrone explained. “That seemed like that could be a lot of fun for me because I had guns in each hand, and I could incorporate them into the fights and go back to shooting and go back to fighting because the guys are coming at you in all directions.”
Cetrone was especially excited because the Knightmare sequence nature of the scene gave him more creative freedom. In the next episode of the podcast covering minute 68 of the film, Cetrone elaborated on how the scene is different from what Batman fans are used to seeing: "You have Batman walking around carrying guns, he's got a primary he's carrying on a sling, and he's got a secondary he's carrying on his hip, you never see that."
There is definitely room for creative freedom within the confines of the Knightmare sequence in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Snyder took full advantage of the scene's dream-like nature. Cetrone's excitement at being able to embody this unique interpretation of Batman probably speaks to the reaction Snyder hoped to elicit from viewers as well. While it certainly seemed to rub Batman purists the wrong way, the entire sequence is commendable for taking the risks it took in order to show the audience a side of the Dark Knight that hadn't been explored on film until Snyder came along.