Warner Brothers Exec Explains Why Ben Affleck Was Cast As Batman, Reveals Premiere Date
August 23, 2013 by Lindsay Cronin
Ben Affleck has caused a stir on the web this morning — and not the good kind. After news that he has been cast as Batman in the upcoming Man Of Steel sequel, backlash from fans came flooding in. On Twitter, the top trending topic was “Better Batman Than Ben Affleck” which seemed to hint that anyone would have been better than Ben. However, his studio is standing by their decision.
“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman,” Man Of Steel director Zack Snyder said in a statement. “He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”
Unfortunately, the masses are less excited. Several celebrities including Richard Dreyfuss, Kevin Connolly, Debra Messing, and Jared Padelecki have already weighed in, tweeting their disappointment.
You read for a part, you feel good about it, you feel confident, then they cast Ben Affleck.
— Richard Dreyfuss (@RichardDreyfuss) August 23, 2013
“Wow, Ben Affleck sure was great in Daredevil. I hope he gets to play ANOTHER superhero!!” – Things no one has ever said.
— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) August 23, 2013
“We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some,” Greg Silverman, Warner Bros’ President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production, said during an announcement for the project. “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.”
Also cast in the flick are Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane. So far, there’s been no mention of who will play Robin, but we could only be so lucky to see this happen:
The film will hit theaters on July 17, 2015.