There’s little doubt that Batman vs. Superman is going to be one of the biggest superhero movie events of all time. The question is: Will Ben Affleck have the acting chops to convincingly play a guy who runs around dressed up like a bat and hits people? It may seem a little incongruous when compared to the fierce intensity of, say, Christian Bale, but Affleck says his Batman is going to be a “unique take” on the character which does not “compete” with the one you know and love from Christopher Nolan’s films.
Affleck made those statements in an interview with Playboy, which still exists and still pretends guys read it “for the articles.” According to Affleck:
“I don’t want to give away too much, but the idea for the new Batman is to redefine him in a way that doesn’t compete with Bale and Christopher Nolan’s Batman but still exists within the Batman canon. It will be an older and wiser version, particularly as he relates to Henry Cavill’s Superman character.”
This is in line with other comments that have been made about how Batman vs. Superman director Zack Snyder will approach the character, as well as just about every Batman fanboy’s fondest dream that he be modeled after the aging Batman in Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.
Affleck also said he realizes that his appearance in the absolutely dreadful Daredevil movie likely contributed to the massive backlash against him being cast as the Dark Knight:
“I understand I’m at a disadvantage with the internet. If I thought the result would be another Daredevil, I’d be out there picketing myself. [laughs] Why would I make the movie if I didn’t think it was going to be good and that I can be good in it?”
In other words: Yeah, he gets that fans are skeptical. But he also thinks he has something to bring to the role and maybe, hopefully, he can win over the angry nerds who immediately rushed to judgment against him. Let’s hope that’s the case, otherwise when Batman vs. Superman hits theaters in 2015, the Internet will explode in a rage so hot that it might burn us all alive.