Moviefone Editorial

Tag: the batman

  • ‘The Batman’ Gets Release Date, Won’t Star Ben Affleck

    ‘The Batman’ Gets Release Date, Won’t Star Ben Affleck

    Ben Affleck, Batman
    Warner Bros.

    “The Batman” will fly in 2021 — but Ben Affleck won’t be wearing the cape.

    Warner Bros. has set a release date for the Batman reboot from Matt Reeves: June 25, 2021.

    Sources have confirmed to multiple news outlets that Affleck won’t return to star as Bruce Wayne, the role he played in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Justice League.”

    In 2016, Affleck was attached to direct and star in a standalone Batman movie. In early 2017, Reeves took over directorial duties from Affleck and also began writing his own script.

    But after the success of “Wonder Woman,” and now “Aquaman,” it’s clear Warner Bros. is looking to shake up its DC superhero universe.

    Reeves will not be adapting Frank Miller’s “Batman: Year One,” though he reportedly is looking for a younger actor to play the character.

    He did recently reveal that he’s planning to feature “a rogue’s gallery” of villains in the movie.

    Reeves also teased that the movie will show Batman’s sleuthing skills, not just his superhero qualities.

    “It’s very much a point-of-view-driven, noir Batman tale,” he said. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films.”

  • ‘The Batman’ to Feature ‘Rogues Gallery’ of Villains

    ‘The Batman’ to Feature ‘Rogues Gallery’ of Villains

    Warner Bros.

    All the villains are coming for “The Batman.”

    Matt Reeves, who is writing and directing the next Caped Crusader movie, is planning to have multiple villains bedevil Gotham City.

    “You can’t have Batman without a villain,” Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter. “There will be a rogues gallery.”

    The director is moving ahead with casting those villains, though he wouldn’t comment on their possible identities. Previous Batman films have brought in The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, Catwoman, Ra’s Al Ghul, and even Mr. Freeze.

    When asked about Josh Gad’s apparent Twitter campaign to play The Penguin, Reeves only said, “I love Josh Gad. We’re good friends.”

    A lot of things are still up in the air on the project, including Ben Affleck’s status as Batman. The movie still doesn’t have a release date, though Reeves thinks it can be done by summer 2021. Even the title isn’t set in stone.

    “I’m working with it as ‘The Batman’ in my head and that’s what we’ve always referred to it as,” the director said.  “But these things have taken a life of their own. As we go deeper into it, it may become clear, ‘Oh, actually this might be a great spin on the title.’ But as of now it’s ‘The Batman.’”

  • ‘The Batman’ Aims for Spring 2019 Filming, Not an Origin Story, Ben Affleck ‘Still Involved’

    ‘The Batman’ Aims for Spring 2019 Filming, Not an Origin Story, Ben Affleck ‘Still Involved’

    Ben Affleck, Batman
    Warner Bros.

    “The Batman” is still out there, almost ready to emerge from his Batcave.

    Ben Affleck was originally going to direct, star, and co-write “The Batman,” but now Matt Reeves has the directing job. He’s had the job for a while, but he just offered some updates during the TCAs, where Reeves was promoting his Fox show “The Passage.”

    Reeves said (via /FILM) he was working on getting a script draft submitted in the next couple of weeks, with the hope to start filming this coming “spring or early summer, something like that.”

    Reeves shot down any rumors of doing “Year One,” or any particular comic:

    “We are definitely not doing Year One. It’s just exciting to be focused very specifically on a tale that is defining for him and very personal to him. Obviously we’re not doing an origin tale or anything like that. We’re doing a story that is definitively Batman, though, and trying to tell a story that’s emotional and yet is really about him being the world’s greatest detective and all the things that for me, since I was a kid, made me love Batman.”

    Reeves emphasized that his film will be “a very point of view noir-driven definitive Batman story in which he is investigating a particular case and that takes us out into the world of Gotham.” In case you were delusional, he added, “There’s no continuation of the [Christopher] Nolan films. It’s very much trying to find a way to do this as something that for me is going to be definitively Batman and new and cool.”

    There have been rumors that Ben Affleck won’t be returning as Batman. The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline both had reports in June about DC rebooting this story to focus on a young Caped Crusader. There was talk that “The Batman” might be a standalone with no connection to the DCEU.

    However, Affleck had said he was looking for a “graceful and cool way to segue out” of playing Batman, to hand it off to the next actor. That may be why Reeves seemed to leave the door open Affleck to be involved:

    “There are ways in which all of this connects to DC, to the DC universe as well. We’re one piece of many pieces so I don’t want to comment on that except to say that I’m focused very specifically on this aspect of the DC world.”

    According to Deadline, Reeves added that Ben Affleck “is still involved” in the project, but it was too early to say more.

    It’s possible, as /FILM speculated, that Ben Affleck could be involved in a bookend storyline, showing up at the beginning and the end of a feature more focused on a different Bruce Wayne.

    But there are still a lot of question marks, and you can never be too sure what’s going to happen in the DC world until cameras start rolling. But as of now Reeves still plans to shoot the film in the first half of 2019. Best of luck with that.

    Meanwhile, Ben Affleck is preparing to direct his buddy Matt Damon in that high-profile McDonald’s scam movie.

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  • Penguin May Be the Villain in ‘The Batman’ or ‘Birds of Prey’

    While we still have no idea when “The Batman” is hitting the big screen, we may now know who will be antagonizing the titular hero.

    Variety reporter Justin Kroll has been tweeting about a new rumor floating around the DCEU, focused on the Penguin. The villain is apparently currently the main choice to appear in director Matt Reeves‘s spinoff flick, according to Kroll’s sources.

    The reporter cautions that fans should “Take this with a grain of salt as things are constantly changing in the DCEU,” but the word on the street is that studio Warner Bros. is very keen on including Penguin in some fashion on the big screen, “sooner rather than later.” If the villain doesn’t ultimately end up in “The Batman,” there’s a very good chance he’ll star in the “Birds of Prey” spinoff, fronted by Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.

    That’s certainly some intriguing scoop, and we’re curious to see how another actor portrays the quirky character, who was previously memorably played by Danny DeVito in Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns.” (And is also featured on Fox’s prequel series, “Gotham.”)

    Of course, as Kroll noted, this is all speculation right now, since Reeves clearly isn’t anywhere close to shooting, and we don’t even have a release date yet for “The Batman.” And then there’s the question of who exactly is going to play the Caped Crusader, since Ben Affleck is heavily rumored to be looking for a way out of the DCEU ASAP.

    Fans will likely have to wait a while for answers. In the meantime, feel free to dream cast who you would want to play the new version of the Penguin.

    [via: Justin Kroll/Twitter]

  • ‘Batman’ Director Matt Reeves Isn’t Using Ben Affleck’s Script

    BatmanBack to the Bat drawing board.

    Matt Reeves, who stepped in to direct “The Batman” in place of star Ben Affleck, has revealed that he’s also replacing the script that Affleck, Chris Terrio (“Batman v Superman,” “Argo”), and DC Comics’ Geoff Johns wrote.

    On MTV’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Reeves was asked if he was using Affleck’s script.

    “No, it’s a new story,” Reeves said. “It’s just starting again. I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be really cool.”

    This isn’t too surprising; the “War For the Planet of the Apes” has a strong point of view and likely wanted to bring his perspective to the film. Recently, he described his take on the project as a “noir-driven, detective” version of the Caped Crusader.

    It’s also possible that after the success of “Wonder Woman,” DC and Warner Bros. might want “The Batman” to be less grim and dark.

  • ‘The Batman’ Director Matt Reeves Envisions It as a Noir Detective Story

    What do a bat and an ape have in common?

    For director Matt Reeves, who helmed “War for the Planet of the Apes” and is overseeing “The Batman,” it’s a tortured soul. In an interview with New Trailer Buzz, Reeves discussed his approach to the highly anticipated Batman standalone movie — and the similarities between the main characters of the two films.

    “I see a parallel emotionally between Caesar and Batman, in that they’re both tortured and trying to sort of grapple within themselves to try and do the right thing in a very imperfect and, to some degree, corrupt world,” he said. “It’s really that emotionality that I’m interested.”

    Whereas Christopher Nolan presented a bleak, grim version of the Caped Crusader, Reeves wants to explore a different path for Ben Affleck’s Batman.

    “In all of my films, what I try to do, in an almost Hitchcockian sense, is use the camera and use the storytelling so that you become that character, and you emphasize with that point of view,” he explained.

    “There’s a chance to do an almost noir-driven, detective version of Batman that is point-of-view driven in a very, very powerful way, that hopefully is going to connect you to what’s going on inside of his head and inside of his heart.”

    “The Batman” is expected to open in theaters in 2019.

  • It’s Official: Matt Reeves Will Direct ‘The Batman’

    'El Amanecer del Planeta de los Simios' Madrid PremiereAfter weeks of uncertainty and lots of back and forth, studio Warner Bros. has finally settled on a replacement director for “The Batman,” with previous top choice candidate Matt Reeves (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes“) officially back on board for the project.

    Reeves replaces star Ben Affleck, who was initially set to helm and co-write the standalone flick in addition to headlining, but abruptly left the director’s chair back in January. Reeves was actually in talks with Warner Bros. last week to take the job before negotiations broke down, but it seems both parties were finally able to work out their differences. In addition to directing, Reeves will also produce the feature.

    In a glowing statement, Toby Emmerich, president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said the studio was “thrilled” to have Reeves join the project, touting Batman as “the crown jewel of our DC slate.”

    “Matt’s deep roots in genre films and his evolution into an emotional world-building director make him the perfect filmmaker to guide the Dark Knight through this next journey,” Emmerich’s statement added.

    In his own statement, Reeves discussed his love of the hero, and his desire to put his own stamp on the character’s mythology.

    “I have loved the Batman story since I was a child. He is such an iconic and compelling character, and one that resonates with me deeply,” Reeves’s statement said. “I am incredibly honored and excited to be working with Warner Bros. to bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen.”

    As Collider points out, while the director question is now settled, there are still plenty of rumors swirling around about the state of this movie, particularly when it comes to Affleck’s role in it. There has been speculation for weeks that the actor is prepared to hang up his cowl and walk away from the franchise entirely, and with his name noticeably absent from Warner Bros.’s press release (not to mention his fatigue at answering incessant questions about the hero), it certainly appears as if the studio is preparing for a clean break from Batfleck.

    Collider editor Steven Weintraub also notes that Reeves will likely want to do a complete rewrite of “The Batman”‘s script, perhaps preparing to accommodate a new star/new vision for the character should Affleck’s theoretical exit become a reality. This is all speculation, of course, but it’s worth paying attention to, especially since Affleck had previously publicly flip-flopped on the directing decision before dropping out of that role. He and Warner Bros. may just be working on an appropriate exit strategy at this point before announcing an official break. Stay tuned.

    [via: Deadline, Collider]

  • ‘The Batman’ Needs a New Director After Ben Affleck Gives Up the Job

    Premiere Of Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Live By Night'Ben Affleck is stepping out of the director’s chair for his upcoming superhero flick “The Batman.”

    The actor-director will still star in and produce the film, but another filmmaker will now helm the project, Variety reports. There had been rumors suggesting that he planned to hand off the job, and now he has made it official. The news comes on the heels of his film “Live by Night” making a poor showing the box office, but sources tell Variety the decision is unrelated.

    As Affleck explains it, stepping down allows him to give playing an iconic hero like Batman the attention it needs.

    “There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions,” Affleck said in a statement. “Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require.”

    It sounds reasonable enough. He’s not superhuman, after all; he just plays one on the big screen.

    Affleck and Warner Bros. are on the hunt for a replacement, and Variety sources say they already have a shortlist. The only name mentioned was that of Matt Reeves, director of “War for the Planet of the Apes.” We’ll find out who steps in to save the day in the coming months.

    In the meantime, we have Affleck’s role in “Justice League” to look forward to. The film opens on Nov. 17.

    [via: Variety]

  • Ben Affleck Is Sick of ‘Pain in the Ass’ Batman Questions

    Ben Affleck just released his latest directorial effort, gangster flick “Live by Night,” but all anyone seems to want to talk about is his upcoming standalone Batman flick. The exasperated star is apparently sick of the barrage of questions about the superhero movie, and didn’t sugarcoat his feelings on the subject in a recent interview.

    While speaking with Entertainment Tonight Canada (via video shared by a DC fan Twitter account), Affleck couldn’t help but unleash a tirade about the constant stream of Batman questions he faces.

    “Oh my God, it’s such a pain in the ass,” Affleck told ET of the subject, rolling his eyes. “It’s, like, every time I mention Batman it gets this huge click bait. And when I was doing this movie [‘Live by Night’], it took me two years to get it together, but no one ever asked me, ‘Where is “Live by Night,”‘ you know? They ask me, ‘Batman, Batman, Batman.’”

    While it certainly must be frustrating for the star to have his new film essentially ignored in favor of the flashier superhero franchise he’s part of, he comes off a little bratty in this complaint. At least he actually did offer DC fans something by way of an update, though, telling ET that he has high hopes for the flick.

    “‘Batman’ is coming along,” Affleck said. “It’s going to be great. We’re going to make something really special. We’re going to take the time to make it right. We’re going to do it good. We’re going to do it the right way and the fans are gonna love it.”

    It’s interesting that the actor-director is speaking so highly of the feature now, when earlier this month, he hedged his bets and said in another interview that he may not direct the film if he doesn’t think it’s up to his standards. Maybe things have changed since then, or maybe someone at DC asked him to put a more positive spin on the flick going forward. Either way, it seems like Affleck isn’t done talking about “The Batman” yet. Stay tuned for more colorful commentary from the filmmaker.

    [via: DCEU Facts/Twitter, h/t TheWrap]

  • Ben Affleck May Not Direct ‘The Batman’ Solo Movie After All

    The upcoming standalone Batman movie, titled simply “The Batman,” still doesn’t have a completed script, and now, it looks like it may not have a director, either.

    That word comes straight from the Caped Crusader himself, Ben Affleck, who revealed in a recent interview with The Guardian that he’s not 100 percent sure yet whether or not he’ll actually helm the feature. It had been the plan for the actor to take the directing reins for “The Batman,” after debuting as the character in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” but as Affleck explained to The Guardian, nothing is definitive just yet.

    “That’s the idea,” Affleck said when asked about directing “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.”

    Affleck himself is writing the movie, alongside Warner Bros. exec Geoff Johns, so it’s curious that he’s worried about the quality of the film. Obviously, if he doesn’t think he’s up for both acting in and directing a huge superhero tentpole flick, that’s his prerogative, but it’s odd that he’d be discussing concerns about the movie so candidly before it even gets made.

    DC has been dinged in the past for its overly-serious recent takes on the superhero movie genre — “Batman v Superman” and “Suicide Squad” were particularly maligned by critics — and Affleck’s comments certainly have us worried that the comics powerhouse hasn’t learned its lesson. There’s still no official release date yet for “The Batman,” so fans will have to wait a while to see how things turn out for the Caped Crusader, as well as the man who plays him.

    [via: The Guardian]