Ben Affleck Reassures Fans He Will Direct Solo Batman Feature

Whether or not Ben Affleck’s solo Batman feature will come to fruition has seemed rather uncertain lately. Just last month Ben Affleck told Variety he was excited about the script for solo Batman feature which they were finishing up and that things were coming together over at Warner Bros. But then in an interview with The Guardian for his prohibition era film Live by Night, Affleck offered a rather alarming update for the solo Batman feature that shook the very foundation of Warner Bros. current version of the DCEU when he said the Batman film wasn’t “a set thing” and that they no longer had a script for the project.

But last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live, while commenting on the latest image released from the upcoming Justice League, Affleck reassured fans the film is still happening and he will indeed be directing —  nearly blowing a gasket as he told Jimmy:

“I’m gonna direct the next Batman, we’re workin’ on it. It’s one of those things that’s really frustrating because like with Live by Night, it took me a year and a half to write it and get it ready and I worked really hard, it’s just nobody gave a shit. No one was like ‘Where’s Live by Night?!’ But with Batman I keep getting the like, ‘Where’s the fucking Batman?!’ and I’m like ‘Bro I’m workin’, give me a second!”

Check out the full clip below.

SOURCE: JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE

Joseph Mangianello Teases Ben Affleck’s Fresh and Familiar Take on Batman

After Manu Bennett’s performance as Slade Wilson A.K.A. Deathstroke on The CW’s Arrow, it came as no great surprise when the character resurged in DC’s relaunch of its entire line of comics titled “New 52”. Subsequently, the character was then announced as the villain for the upcoming solo Batman film earlier this year when Ben Affleck tweeted out a visual effects test featuring the supervillain.

Not much is known about the film itself other than Affleck is co-writing the film along with DC Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns. Affleck will direct the film as well as reprise his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne, first introduced in this  year’s Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Shortly after the reveal of Deathstroke as the film’s villain, actor Joseph Mangianello was announced to play the character.

Recently, Manganiello sat down with former wrestling commentator Mark Madden when Mangianello offered some insight into the upcoming Batman film which is rumored to start filming in the spring of 2017.

When I met Ben we sat down and we talked about, you know, the role. We talked about the movie. His take is a fresh take but I think the audience is going to be surprised. Because it’s a road that no one’s really gone down that’s completely integral to, you know, who Batman is. And I think it’s gonna be refreshing but at the same time completely familiar. But it’s going to take this franchise in a direction that I think A LOT of people are going to be really happy about. It’s going to be gritty and action packed and cerebral and all of those elements that people love about Batman.

Ben’s a great director, man. I mean the last movie that man directed won best picture. He’s got an Oscar for writing. Like, this is all the components to go down as a… everything is lined up for a really really really great movie. Not only a superhero movie but just a great great movie.

A fresh yet familiar take might be just what DC needs to win back audiences who were turned off by BvS. One thing is for sure, the film absolutely needs to address the murders committed by Batman in BvS, after the hero threw out his principles when the core of his foundation was shook by Superman’s arrival on Earth.

A release date has yet to be revealed for solo Batman feature, however. Warner Bros. currently has two release dates set for Untitled DC films. The solo Batman, or The Batman as the film is rumored to be titled, could arrive as early as October 5, 2018 or as late as November 1, 2019.

SOURCE: MARK MADDEN