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SALT LAKE CITY — It looks like Ben Affleck will be the first major actor to play a leading hero in both the Marvel and DC universes. While it could be argued that this took place back with Affleck’s portrayal of George Reeves in the 2006 film, “Hollywoodland,” Affleck will make said honor official when he dons the black cape and pointed ears as Batman in the upcoming sequel to “Man of Steel.”
According to a press release, Greg Silverman of Warner Brothers said, “We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character.”
Zack Snyder, director of “Man of Steel” and the now official Superman/Batman crossover, also weighed in, saying, “Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”
Not surprisingly, fan reaction has been mixed. On Twitter, the hashtag #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck has become popular, with suggestions ranging from "Brick from Anchorman” to “the leg lamp from the Christmas story.”
#poll
On popular movie boards like comingsoon.net, Affleck has received a few supportive comments. One comment reads, “I remember when they cast Heath Ledger as The Joker or Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, everyone was skeptical and by the end they surprised us.”
Unfortunately, I don’t see Affleck turning in the next Ledger-like performance, and while on the subject, I’d much rather see him replace Snyder as director than see him in front of the camera on this one. In fact, I don’t know why WB didn’t just review the fine list of possible Batman actors John Clyde and I came up with.
Regardless, I remain cautiously optimistic. If Affleck actually learned something from the ill-fated “DareDevil,” maybe there's a reborn superhero in there just waiting for the right cape. Travis Poppleton has been covering movie news and film reviews for Deseret News and KSL.com since 2010, and continues to contribute coverage for film festivals and other live events in Utah. You can contact him at tspoppleton@gmail.com.
