Rumor: Ben Affleck Now Wants to Remain the DCEU's Batman

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Ben Affleck reportedly wants to continue playing the DCEU's Batman. One of the plaguing mysteries of the Warner Bros. franchise is Affleck's commitment to his superhero gig. Soon after Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hit theaters and was met with divisive response, rumors started swirling that the actor may already be looking for a way out of the role, coupled with his confusing remarks that prompted the fandom to be concerned.

Things got worse after the production nightmare in Justice League and several news outlets started reporting that Jake Gyllenhaal is at the forefront to take over the mantle in the planned Matt Reeves Batman standalone (which Affleck was initially supposed to direct and star in). Currently, no official word has been given yet what other DCEU movies Batman is supposed to appear in, but latest rumor is that Affleck is now interested in staying as the franchise's Bat of Gotham.

DC source person Daniel RPK (via Batman News) revealed earlier today via Twitter that Affleck now wants to continue reprising his role as DCEU's Bruce Wayne/Batman. No other details were divulged and it's important to note (as the tipster reiterated) that it's best to take this intel with a healthy dose of salt as it remains to be unconfirmed. Still, given the actor's countless back-and-forth whether or not he still wants to be a part of the established Warner Bros. franchise, this could be a huge piece of the puzzle with regard to what the shared cinematic universe would look like moving forward.

It's unclear what changed Affleck's mind considering that during the last few months, it's been an open secret that he wants out of the role - a shame considering that a lot of people really enjoyed his iteration of the Caped Crusader. Admittedly, not many were thrilled when he was cast as the character, but after seeing his performance in BvS, people were sold on this older and more cynical version of the iconic DC superhero.

Unfortunately, his fresh arc wasn't highlighted much in Justice League. If anything, he's arguably the least interesting main character of the team. It's unknown if it was deliberately done to condition people that their time with his Batman is nearing its end, but fans were generally disappointed that he wasn't that intense being that they first met in BvS. Instead what they got was a wise-cracking, mouthy hero which doesn't suit his established profile.

In the bigger DCEU picture, it's curious if Affleck's rumored decision has anything to do with The Flash's upcoming standalone film reportedly no longer titled Flashpoint. For quite some time, many people viewed the movie as the possible exit route for the actor without disrupting the whole established canon. At this point, fans have already managed their expectations however this pans out. There has been a slew of other actors who have openly expressed their eagerness to play Batman on the big screen so recasting won't be that difficult. But if Affleck is really sure that he wants to stick around, people are hoping that he'd commit to the role and stay for good.