I hate rumors. Rumors are bullshit and don’t offer anything productive if I’m being frank.
What’s even more annoying is when rumors gain traction for weeks and specifically with regard to actor Ben Affleck’s casting for the lead role in the forthcoming DCU follow-up, The Batman. I’m not going to go into detail about how this whole talk of him leaving the role altogether came to fruition, but it is a thing that has existed for sometime now, and what sucks the most about this is that Affleck redeemed himself as a viable superhero screen presence donning the iconic cape and cowl in Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Suicide Squad.
That being said, what gets under my skin is the fact that people bitched, moaned and complained, and even sent death threats to the actor in the wake of his casting for Snyder’s film due to all the wailing and brouhaha over his performance in Mark Steven Johnson’s Daredevil. People are assholes and some were still cracking jokes at Affleck despite the fact he literally impressed the hell out of most fans who saw his key potrayal last Spring alongside Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Henry Cavill as Superman.
The Playlist does present a good point about the prospect of Affleck leaving: It would be a franchise killer. Personally I get frustrated when a face gets changed for a character and I’m still not over the the Holmes/Gyllenhaal switcheroo for the Rachel role as seen in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, respectively. That being said, it also bares wondering how many more people are being considered for the role if Affleck does leave?
(…Cue the ticking clock before the internet choir of Boyka fans begins its next chapter in helping Scott Adkins get the part)
This is why I don’t follow comic book news to the T. It’s a headache, and with War For The Planet Of The Apes helmer Matt Reeves being eyed to direct after Affleck’s leave from the chair, I really hope this nonsense gets settled before I completely lose my wits. And I need my wits! I’m 34 and I have a bald spot!
Hey WB, Ben, solve this!