The Batman Story
When Zack Snyder and company announced plans for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, the list of candidates to portray Batman was out the window and around several countries. Everybody wanted the part and every actor over the age of 35 was linked to it. Ultimately, it went to Ben Affleck, who is now adamant of playing a game of bat-and-mouse with Warner Bros. over his future in the cape and cowl.
Back in 2013, Brolin confirmed a long-standing rumor that he’d been considered for the role.
“We did. I didn’t have conversations about it, but Zack, that was part of his idea. It just didn’t turn out. It’s OK. It is OK. You know, another scenario might have worked better, but I’m happy for Ben.”
In a later interview with Yahoo!, Brolin changed his story and said that creative differences were the main reasons for him not accepting the part.
“Me and Zack had a conversation about it, and there were several reasons why we said it wasn’t the best idea on both sides. I had mine and Zack had his. To me, it’s not about being cool and all that stuff. Looking back over your shoulder and saying that one line everyone’s going to remember? Maybe I could do that. But I do roles that aren’t necessarily all that cool. All my stuff is a little off.”
This leads us to believe that Brolin didn’t like the script for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and predicted its polarization years before it hit and broke the internet. While Affleck was praised as one of the brightest spots of the controversial film, you have to wonder if Brolin’s presence would’ve changed the audience and critics’ reception towards it – or if it would’ve been more of the same.
With the current state of Batfleck in limbo, Warner probably wishes it could go back in time and negotiate better terms, including creative control, with Brolin.