Is Ben Affleck Hesitant on ‘The Batman?’

Curious soundbites are making the online rounds regarding the status of The Batman, the forthcoming Caped Crusader standalone picture. Ben Affleck, the current occupant of the Batsuit, appeared all but set to not only star but also direct and script an upcoming Batman solo film. Yet recent comments show a certain hesitancy on the part of the two-time Oscar winner.

In a recent interview with The Guardian while promoting his currently-in-limited release gangster tale Live By Night (another feature he directed, wrote and stars in), Affleck showed a certain reserve in regards to The Batman.

But it’s not a set thing and there’s no script. If it doesn’t come together in a way I think is really great I’m not going to do it.

This recent quote seems to showcase a tentativeness on the progress of the project, and one that conflicts with earlier comments. In early December, Affleck told Variety, “everything is coming together” on the solo Batman title, while in that same month was quoted in Entertainment Weekly, “I’m not going to write and direct anything that I don’t think is good enough to be made.” Taken together, it’s difficult to gather what the progress on The Batman is looking like or perhaps, more to the point, that the film itself may simply still be a work in progress.

While no release date has been set for the film, some details have come about in recent months, including the casting of Joe Manganiello (Magic Mike) as villain Deathstroke. And without question, Warner Bros. would like to make the film – Affleck and the studio have relationship going back years that includes Affleck’s directorial features The Town, the Oscar-winning Argo and the current Live By Night. He debuted his take on Batman last spring in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a superhero tentpole that while ravaged by fans and critics received some praise for Affleck’s take on the iconic DC Comics legend. Affleck will don the suit once again with 2017’s Justice League. It seemed feasible that The Batman might be have been squeezed in before the sequel for Justice League.

We may have to wait and see on this one. Affleck can currently be seen in Live By Night, now in limited release – the film opens wide on January 13th.