The only question anyone has had since the sequel to Man of Steel was announced as a Superman vs. Batman film is: Who is the new Bruce Wayne? After a million rumors insisting that Christian Bale was going to reprise the role, we finally have an answer…
It’s Ben Affleck! And that could be so eyeroll-worthy considering his many disappointing turns in roles from Armageddon to Gigli, but let’s stop and consider for a moment. Ben Affleck is actually a pretty fabulous actor when given meatier roles. He impressed in Hollywoodland as George Reeves, the actor who played Superman in the 1950s Superman television show, and this year at the Oscars, his film Argo won big. Choosing to bring him in on the project is a very interesting move in letting fans know how serious they are about the new Batman. (We’ll just ignore Dardevil here. Because we have to.)
Affleck will be playing an older Bruce Wayne opposite Henry Cavill’s youthful Superman, which gives us an idea of the dynamic they’re looking for between this duo to begin, first as enemies, and hopefully later as friends. It bodes pretty darn well for the sequel.
From Greg Silverman at Warner Bros.:
“We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular superheroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent, and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character.”
And we’ll keep ignoring Daredevil here. Because we have to.
