Ben Affleck previously said that he was done with Batman, but apparently, he’s a terrible liar. Vanity Fair has learned that the actor is returning to play the Dark Knight in Warner Bros.’s upcoming Flash film, which will involve a multiverse of Batmen. That would include Michael Keaton’s, who we last saw in 1992’s Batman Returns.
Ben Affleck’s involvement makes a lot of sense, since his Batman is the one who originally drafted the DCEU’s Flash. His physicality and performance in Snyder’s films were also well received by fans. “His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong, which is his masculinity—because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline —but he’s also very vulnerable,” director Andy Muschietti said in an interview. “He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.”
“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie. The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before,” Muschietti added. “It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”
The Flash is planned for release in summer 2022. We’ve been hearing rumors that Val Kilmer will appear at DC FanDome, so don’t be surprised if the Batman from Batman Forever shows up in the multiverse film, too.