Affleck is Batman

[enyawd72]

I may not think he's a good choice, but people are going way too overboard:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pet...fleck/Mwcw96fC

SERIOUSLY?! Petitioning the White House?!! "Mr. President, we have a serious problem...Ben Affleck has been cast as Batman. Heaven help this great nation...ordinarily we'd call Batman. Isn't that ironic?"

[MIB41]

We might as well have fun in the midst of the outcry...

[madmarva]

I don't know how Affleck will do as Batman in this film. A lot will have to do with how Snyder and Goyer construct the story and script.

All the reports about Dark Night Returns has me a bit leery, too.

But the prospect of Affleck directing a solo Batman film after this is enticing. He's a solid director, an Eastwood type, who understands who to make a good "Hollywood" movie. His films have some grit, which I'd like to see more in Batman. more focus on his detective skills and much less on the gadgets.

Affleck is a comics fan, which could help, but I'm afraid The WB's idea of what A Batman movie should be isn't ever going to match my personal view.

So I'll likely watch whatever they make and try to enjoy it for what it is and probably still gripe and moan about what it's not.

[kingdom warrior]

Wait, check the calendar...is it April 1st?



That rhymes so well it could become the mantra for the next film.

LOL!!!

[megoscott]

I predict after 2 years of unending hype and anguished analysis of costume design the movie will make a billion dollars and then we'll all be totally indifferent 4 weeks after it comes out.

[MegoSteve]

I feel awesome that I have absolutely no opinion about this.

This is pretty much how I feel, except I'm kind of bummed about it. The reason I have no opinion is that I'm so completely alienated from current DC comics and movies that I don't really care what they do any more. I mean, I liked Man of Steel when I saw it, but the more time passes, the more I realize that my favorite treatments of DC superheroes are probably never coming back.

[hedrap]

You can't compare this to Keaton.

Keaton had the element of surprise with him. He hadn't made an action film before Batman and had just released his first heavy role, Clean and Sober, in 88, which nobody saw.

We all know what Affleck's capable of in action movies, superhero roles and even guys like Bruce Wayne. The only way he can bring something different is if they drastically change Batman. Snyder and Affleck. Remaking Batman. How much confidence does that instill?

The best analogy I can come up with is when the DanJaq lost Connery, they had to choose between an known or unknown replacement. Moore was up for the role, but they went with Lazenby because that was the same process that lead them to Connery. Except this time, it forced them back to Connery to save the franchise. Then, they grabbed Moore who was already established as a spy thanks to The Saint.

That's the same deal here. WB could have gone with a lesser-known and hope to strike gold, twice. But they're scared, so they went with the safest in-house pick they had. In their eyes, it was a minimum risk choice and no matter what the backlash is, the first Superman/Batman teamup will force all the naysayers to still go.

It's possible, but they should be very concerned with trying to work the fanboys. Once they get the SDCC lemmings on board, odds are it will implode because they're willfully ignorant.

[madmarva]

^

but the more time passes, the more I realize that my favorite treatments of DC superheroes are probably never coming back.

That sums it up for me. I'm still interested and am still attempting to enjoy what I can, but it's settling in that I'm no longer part of the target audience.

[palitoy]

I predict after 2 years of unending hype and anguished analysis of costume design the movie will make a billion dollars and then we'll all be totally indifferent 4 weeks after it comes out.

[sauce]

Maybe it's because I don't follow the ramp-up, but i don't know what new aspect to The Batman Legend is getting explored in the new film. Is there one that isn't already in book form?

[jayraytee]

I see all the hero movies and I won't see it. Affleck is a terrible actor, he ranks right up there with Matt Daimon. Affleck was cast in the daredevil movie and it was one of the worst hero movies ever made... that should give them a little hint at how this will go.

[jayraytee]

I don't really get the negative reaction. It's not like they cast Chris Kattan.

Its close.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I predict after 2 years of unending hype and anguished analysis of costume design the movie will make a billion dollars and then we'll all be totally indifferent 4 weeks after it comes out.

Truer words were never spoken.

Chris

[MIB41]

Watching any film in this genre is a pretty organic experience for me. I have an impression when I hear about it. I have another impression when I see trailers. And yet still I have more impressions after I see it. But even then, I'm not done. Over time, my opinion can either be solidified by what I thought was right or wrong with the treatment. Or my opinions will evolve over time because my expectations have lessoned, my criticisms softened, or I simply see it differently at some point - for good or bad.

Daredevil is a perfect example. I hated the marketing for that film. The trailers had so much attitude and music geared towards your average 15 year old, it didn't feel compatible with anything I would like. So I never saw it in theaters. But once I watched it, reluctantly on DVD, I was blown away. No, it wasn't an amazing film in my eyes. But it was much more thoughtful in scope than I ever could have conceived from those trailers. And any problems I had with the story were eliminated completely when I picked up the directors cut. In my opinion, that is THE version to watch. So I have no personal dislike for Affleck as an actor or even in the capacity of a hero (I wish he would have done another Daredevil honestly). And his gifts as a director are well documented. I just think his natural range of acting does not encompass all the necessary qualities that, for me, make a compelling Batman in THIS kind of story. If he pulls it off, I'll be the first to say it worked. But right now, I think it's going to be a hard sell.

For me, Batman sells his conviction through his eyes. That is why I thought Keaton did such an exceptional job. You saw that psychosis in his stare. The fact that he looked as he did outside the mask made it doubly ingenious. Completely against type. Val Kilmer and George Clooney were hollow. They were letting the costume act for them. So there was no register. Christian Bale took it a step further and provided that conflict not only on Batman but on Bruce Wayne as well. You could see the emotional scarring which, for me, made for a compelling study. When I look at Affleck, my early impressions don't get me to any of those markers that make for a good Batman. But we'll see.

[Hector]

I'll actually watch the movie before casting judgement. Tearing something/someone apart before even seeing anything is pure "nerd rage" IMO. Now if it comes out and he's horrible that's it's fair game.

Usually I'd agree with that...but I went through grief here about how Henry Cavill was gonna suck, and most annoying of all, how the new Superman suit sucked...well, now is my turn to nerd rage as you say, lol.