Ben Affleck is Batman

   

Ben Affleck will play Batman in ‘Man of Steel’ 2
http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/ben-affleck-will-play-batman-in-man-of-steel-sequel-due-july-17-2015/

This apprently a big deal, shits all over the net. Even petitions to replace the guy already...

"Ben Affleck as Batman: Why It Could Work"
http://screenrant.com/ben-affleck-batman-man-of-steel-2-sequel-discussion/#utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_85729


"PETITIONS CALL FOR BEN AFFLECK'S REMOVAL FROM BATMAN/SUPERMAN MOVIE"
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=47499&utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_85846

Didn't see the Superman movie, no especial reason to think I'll see the next one, although I can't imagine why they'd replace the latest Batman [Christian Bale? Didn't see the last Batman movie either.] Isn't that supposed to be the point? Getting Michael Keaton together with Christopher Reeve? Adam West together with George Reeves?

Affleck did play a very good George Reeves in Hollywoodland

my understanding is Bale is done with the part, they were going to have to start over with a new guy anyway

Bale said he could only be persauded to come back to the role by a huge truckload of money. Hard to say if he was shutting the door completely or playing coy, but yeah, I think you're right he was ready to move on.

Affleck might be ok! A decent mourning period has passed since Daredevil. He's grown as an actor and at least looks more the part than say Michael Keaton who, when he was announced as Batman, everybody booed the choice. Keaton pulled it off with that particular portrayal though and I think Affleck will have an easier time of it being more in a classic Bruce Wayne mold, CGI will do the rest!

I just saw this tweet quoted over at Huffpost...

"Remember Ben, with the cape and cowl comes great responsibility (and lots of heat). Bring deodorant. #batman @BenAffleck"
— Adam West (@therealadamwest) August 23, 2013

Defending Affleck, Matt Damon from an interview from the Times of India...

"I think it will be great. It will be terrific. I know there are a lot of people grousing on the internet. I just think it's kind of funny. You know, he's not playing King Lear. It's Batman!"

http://metvnetwork.com/batmanpetition.php

If I were in charge of Warner Bros. superhero movies, I would want every living actor from with prior iterations of Superman to get some sort of cameo. Arguably my favorite part of "Superman Returns" was knowing that the old lady at the beginning was there for a reason, and waiting for Noel Neill's name in the credits. This precedent was established when Neill and Kirk Alyn (the first live actors to portray Lois and Superman on film) had cameos in the first Superman movie - young Clark running alongside the train - and I'd be happy to extend the trend to Batman movies.

Whether the movie is any good or not, couldn't you picture Ben Affleck confronting his board of directors and facing down Adam West, Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, along with every other supporting actor that can be shoe-horned in? Burt Ward? Morgan Freeman? Chris O'Donnell? Danny Devito? Arnold Schwartzenegger? Kim Basinger, Katie Holmes, Yvonne Craig and Julie Newmar?

ChrisW wrote:

If I were in charge of Warner Bros. superhero movies, I would want every living actor from with prior iterations of Superman to get some sort of cameo.

Would that leave enough time for a decent story?

Maybe not *every* living actor, but the important ones. And yes, I think it would be entirely possible (in theory) to get a good story while still having a scene where, say, Affleck is making a big speech to the Board of Directors, and gets challenged by Christian Bale - "who do you think you are, Batman?" - followed by a glimpse of Michael Keaton and winding up with you-know-who as the sage old man at the end of the table supporting Affleck.

I like that cameo idea a lot! I wasn't aware of the cameos in earlier Superman movies. Now I'll have to look out for them.

I think of it like the Ang Lee Hulk movie, where Stan Lee's cameo involved him walking by and chatting with Lou Ferrigno. I sure as hell didn't recognize Ferrigno, but I noticed the audience around me chuckling, and was pretty sure it wasn't at Stan. I didn't recognize Noel Neill at the beginning of Superman Returns, but I had the sense she was there for a specific reason and sat through the credits to find it.

I think cameos from previous franchises work better for Superman, but as I say, I'd be fine with including Batman. In twenty or thirty years, I'll probably be fine with doing it for the latest Spider-Man or X-Men reboot (and I can't wait to see the Stan Lee cameos for *those*.)

In the Affleck example I just mentioned, let's say the camera shows Affleck giving his impassioned speech. We see he's pacing around a table, but only gradually get a sense of who is sitting there. And yeah, for convenience sake, I'd shoe-horn it into one scene, although I have no problem with scattering the cameos through the movie. Probably the women first, because they've aged enough to be virtually unrecognizable. I just looked up a recent picture of Michael Keaton, and it wouldn't be hard for an actor of his skill - he did a good Bruce and a good Batman - to seem familiar while not being immediately noticed. I'd suggest Christian Bale dye his hair and put a mustache and whatever other affectation works for the story, while the camera slowly notices Kim Basinger, Chris O'Donnell, etc. I'd put Danny DeVito and Arnold together just because it would be funny, maybe make a "twins" reference. Adam West should probably be somewhat-senile - i.e. his "Family Guy" role - while playing it straight for a Wise Old Sage. "I listen to Mister Wayne's ideas, and think 'What if *I* were Batman?' I would be arguing much like Mister Wayne here..."

Josh Brolin or Ben Affleck?

When I first read this, I loved the Idea of Brolin doing Batman, he can look like a solid, powerful dangerous man. But as I thought about it, that's not Batman. Batman is Bruce Wayne with a mask on, and Bruce Wayne is supposed to look like a pampered pretty-boy, aging trust fund baby. He doesn't look dangerous.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/07/josh-brolin-batman_n_3886346.html