When Zack Snyder revealed that Ben Affleck would be cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the upcoming sequel to Man of Steel, Batman vs Superman, the internet went into an uproar. Not many people accepted that Affleck was a good fit as Batman (I was among those who were actually thrilled by the idea), and everyone wondered if the movie would no longer be a sequel, but would rather represent the start to DC’s response to Marvel’s Avengers. Was this to be the first step in a future Justice League movie? What was Batman doing in a Superman movie if not? Well, it’s complicated.
Snyder initially wanted to only include Batman as a side character with limited screen time, teasing his future appearance in any movies done withing the DC universe. This has changed over time, and we now know that not only will Batman be an important part of the film, we’ll also be seeing Gal Gadot in the role of Wonder Woman. It’s not a full-fledged Justice League film, granted, but it’s no longer a simple Man of Steel sequel either. It’s a transition film between films focusing on a single hero and major flicks that center on teams of heroes. Ben Affleck recently explained his take on the Batman role in a Playboy interview, where he went on to say:
“The said I’d fit well into how they were going to approach the character and asked me to look at what the writer-director, Zack Snyder, was doing. The stuff was incredible. It was a unique take on Batman that was still consistent with the mythology. It made me excited. All of a sudden I had a reading of the character. When people see it, it will make more sense than it does now or even than it did to me initially.”
Fans of the Christopher Nolan Batman films are still skeptical about Affleck’s casting or about the role of Batman in the upcoming Batman vs Superman film, but I personally feel excited. I think Affleck can pull off a terrific Bruce Wayne, and if he gets a decent trainer and gets into proper shape, he’ll also pull off a great Batman. I’m curious about Gal Gadot, as she hasn’t been given too much to work with previously, so that could go either way. Regardless, Batman vs Superman is more than your average Man of Steel sequel, and it’s likely going to pull in crowds to theaters, if for nothing else than curiosity.