Ben Affleck cast as The New Batman

[clemso]

Julian McMahon Doctor Doom was one of the worst bits of casting. agreed.

Yeah, he was appalling as Bullseye. Almost as bad as Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom.
Great characters undermined by terrible cinematic interpretations and abysmal miscasting.

_

[madmarva]

I understand the nerd rage over Affleck. We all know whom we would cast individually for the role and the reasons why. I understand it's fun to crack on things. I've enjoy the jokes and funny photos and playing both sides of the fence. That photo of Superman slugging down a shot was hilarious. To me it's all good fun.

I get the star angle as a reason for people being so dead set against Affleck, which is my own key reservation, but honestly he's not Clooney, Pitt, Will Smith or Cruise, who all can act but bank on their own brand of charisma for their popularity and box office draw.

I also understand that he's played the snarky, loud, smart aleck role in his worst movies which isn't remotely in character for Batman or Bruce Wayne. I must admit I have never suffered the pain Of Gigli, but I have endured the tedium of Reindeer Games.

I also understand Dardevil didn't click on all cylinders and that whether right or wrong, the stars of films catch a ton of grief when that happens, just like a quarterback.

I don't understand the idea why he can't play Batman because he played Daredevil. I doubt a Batman/Daredevil one-man show is in the works. Eastwood, Wayne and many others made a living playing different cowboys and soldiers and cops in movie after movie. Heck, Lon Chaney Jr. played Wolfman, Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy. In Frankenstein meets the Wolfman, he was originally signed to play both roles. To me, there's no difference.

The fact that he is three inches taller than Cavill will have to be dealt with, but Hollywood has been dealing with that since they started making movies. Cruise is 2 or more inches shorter than most of his leading ladies and it hasnt hurt his career. Bogart and Cagney were short guys, but never seemed to be on the screen. Cavill can rise to the ocassion. Remember, Superman doesn't have to stand on the ground. He can float.

But to me, Affleck looks as much or more like Wayne Bruce Wayne is drawn in the comics as any actor who has ever taken the part. He's classicly handsome with a square jaw. Dark hair, caucasian. He's not skinny or fat. He's reasonably athletic looking. As for the Boston accent, man, I'm from the South. Most everybody in movies sounds like a Yankee to me. So it's not an issue I struggle with, lol.

Affleck's 41 but with the magic of HGH and other procedures, he's going to be able to pass for mid 30s for another 10 years or longer if he keeps his weight in check.

Keaton was short, skinny and balding. Kilmer was blond and puffy faced and had a California low key vibe that was all wrong for the part. George Clooney is a genuine star; he's about the same in every role, plus the script he had was totally misguided attempt at camp that strangled whatever he could have done with the part.

The Batman we know today didnt exsist in the 60s, but if Adam West had a dramatic script, were the right age with a little weight training and not type cast as the camp Batman, he might've worked, but then again maybe not.

Bale, an actor not a star, has been the best Batman. He's had the best scripts and arguably worked with the best director and production team ever to tackle the character. But Bale's not coming back and neither is Nolan.

While there are other actors I would taken over Affleck, I don't know of an actor/screen writer/director combo whom WB could have signed onto the project that would be better. I think Snyder/Goyer got a lot of things right with MOS, but maybe Affleck can help improve the upcoming script.

I hope Affleck will have influence on the story and the script like Whedon is having at Marvel, even when he's not directing. Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo are all very solid Hollywood movies, which Affleck directed and worked on the script. He starred in the later two.

I like a lot of what Snyder does, but he has a tendency to go a step too far. Maybe, Affleck will rein him in a little. Goyer also does some good things, but Affleck hits that sweet spot with scripts that pleases a general audience. Maybe he can make a few adjustments that will lift the movie from MOS level at the box office to IM3. And be assured we aren't the target audience for this film, the general public is. Affleck's name isn't the poison among those outside of fandom that he seems to be inside it.

Affleck could go in and screw the whole thing up. Just slaughter it and serve our worst expectations and fears on a silver platter. If that happens, we can all gear up to gripe about whomever The WB casts as Batman for a 2020 reboot.

Right now, I'm just glad football season is around the corner so I can get super hero flicks off my mind during my free time.

[Operation:Mego]

Joss Whedon has shown his support for Affleck in the role, tweeting "Affleck'll crush it. He's got the chops, he's got the chin -- just needs the material. Affleck & Cavill toe to toe -- I'm in."

[megoscott]

I never understood the Afleck hate (though I never sat through Gigli). I didn't care much either way, but his recent work has been a legitimate comeback story, which I always root for. The worse this backlash gets the more I root for him to make them all eat their words. He's the underdog now.

[megoscott]

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/SuperheroStation/news/?a=85947

[PNGwynne]

^That is ridiculous & disgusting. It doesn't say much about fandom, or American culture in general. Do what I do, & just don't go see the d@&n movie.

There are Bat-fans that disliked West, Keaton, Kilmer/Clooney/Schumacher, Bale//Nolan. Batman has survived. The comics don't appeal to all of us, either.

Let's have a sense of perspective about this.

[cockyhoskins]

While I don't mind the casting (and kind of look forward to it), this did make me laugh...

[ctc]

>That's why Kilmer and Clooney didn't work...too famous.

Hmmmm.... y'know what I've never really heard? "Clooney was SO BAD as Batman!" Know what I heard a lot? "Bat-nipples? REALLY?!?!?" That's why I say the actor isn't nearly as important as the effects for a Batman flick.

>He's too bloody famous.

That's why they hire him. That's why you keep seeing Bruce Willis, and the Rock, and (fates help us all) Jack Black in everything.

>so now we have a Batman who will TOWER over Superman

You've got a weird height fixation. It seems to come up ALL the time.... Anyhoo; it's a film. They'll juggle it around so it all works out. Hell; Stallone is like, 4'5" and you'd never guess from the way the shoot him.

Don C.

[Hector]

You've got a weird height fixation. It seems to come up ALL the time....

And you have a weird fixation of quoting without quoting the poster's name.

It's either unique...or weird...can't decide...lol.

[Hector]

Hell; Stallone is like, 4'5" and you'd never guess from the way the shoot him.

Stallone is 5' 9", come on now, lol.

Stallone always looks short...no amount of illusion or special effects is gonna full me.

Look no further than Rocky vs Thunderlips...Hulk Hogan is tall, but not that tall...his height has always been exaggerated as well...





Here's Hogan posing next to NBA player Kris Humpries, who is 6' 9"...



Hogan was always billed as 6' 8" in the WWF...he's actually a shade under 6' 4"...

[MIB41]

Ultimately what it comes down to is the treatment. Because just about anyone in Hollywood can wear the cowl and be made to look esthetically pleasing as the character. He's not playing Hamlet. This is also a guest appearance. So Affleck doesn't have the weight of an entire picture (or franchise) on him like the others have. Not yet anyway. And the demands of the job should be feather light in the costume. A stare with a grimace and the shot is in the can. Tough duty. What remains to be seen is how Snyder incorporates the character into his Superman world. Affleck, as an actor, has had a spotty career, so the parodies are well deserved. No words to eat there. What comes of this role ultimately rests more on what Snyder does than Affleck. It's also an easy experiment Affleck can exit from, if the treatment is questionable. No franchise reboot required here. It's Superman's movie. So for Affleck, this is a high rewards, minimal risk project.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Well, it WAS Superman's movie. I'm not so certain that's what it is now. It will be interesting to see how much Batman is in this movie, and what the actual title of the film will be. That will give us an idea of how much Bat-content there is.

Chris

[MIB41]

^Well, it WAS Superman's movie. I'm not so certain that's what it is now. It will be interesting to see how much Batman is in this movie, and what the actual title of the film will be. That will give us an idea of how much Bat-content there is.
Chris

Exactly. I sense that Superman may become a vehicle to introduce heroes into the DC Universe. Since he would ulitmately become the leader of the Justice League, it would make sense for such pivotal events leading up to this formation occur in his films.

[boynightwing]

I was looking at this article earlier. It is about how everyone freaked out over Ledger as Joker when it was announced he was cast.

Same thing here. Ben will do a great job. It's my confidence in the director and the writer I have issues with.

[BlackKnight]

After really thinking About this ...
I believe that Since Ben is Such a Huge Fan Boy ..., and a Role like this really means more to him than Any Drive By Internet Key Board Warrior Hater ..., I gotta give him a Chance Here ... The Last Movie I saw him Make was The Town... , I think of his previous Action Movies .... And think it does gotta shot.