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Ben Affleck Still Producing The Batman; Filming Starts Spring 2019
Ben Affleck is apparently still attached to The Batman as a producer, and the film will begin production at some point next spring. Making his debut as the Caped Crusader in 2016's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Affleck silenced most of the naysayers with a well-received turn as an aging, world-weary Bruce Wayne. However, especially following Justice League's poor performance (critically and commercially), there have been numerous questions about his future in the role. There are conflicting reports covering his willingness to stay onboard.
Making matters slightly more confusing for audiences is the notion of director Matt Reeves targeting an actor 15-20 years Affleck's junior to portray Batman in the film. While this obviously would take Affleck himself out of the running, it wouldn't necessarily mean his version of the character is getting rebooted. There are ways to keep Affleck around and have him play a minimal role to keep continuity within the established DC Extended Universe continuity. It appears as if that's going to be the case.
According to Production Weekly (via Pursue News), Affleck will serve as a producer on The Batman, which is targeting a spring 2019 start. It should be noted that the information is mostly behind a paywall and Screen Rant is unable to double-check the latest updates, but Production Weekly is a reliable source when it comes to this.
The listing did not appear to mention any potential cast members, so it's still unknown if Affleck will act in the movie as well. Regardless, it's an encouraging sign that he remains a producer, as it suggests he's still committed to bringing Batman to life onscreen in some capacity. As many know, his iteration of Bruce Wayne already had two decades of crimefighting experience under his belt by the time audiences met him, meaning there's plenty of material for an entire series of films depicting Batman in his prime. Perhaps Affleck will pass the torch to a younger actor (a more likely option to headline a possible trilogy), producing the movies and making brief cameos to serve as connective tissue. This could free him up to work on other projects he has sights on, such as the McDonald's Monopoly theft film.
Hopefully, this matter gets cleared up in the near future. Reeves indicated recently his script would be done soon, meaning he must know the direction the story is headed. Most curiously, he hasn't decided on an actor yet, though confirmed Affleck is "involved" with the picture. Today's news lines up with that, and it probably won't be much longer until all the pieces fall into place.
