Andy Muschietti confirms Ben Affleck is back as Batman! And Keaton is confirmed too!

Holy awesome story, Batman! Ben Affleck is back as the Dark Knight for the new The Flash movie!

Ever since May this year there has been a lot of talk that, with the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League next year on HBO Max, the landscape as DC/Warners has changed. Changed so much that Ben Affleck might return as Batman.

And tonight, it seems that we just had confirmation from Vanity Fair that yes, he IS returning to put the cape and ears on once more.

Director of the upcoming The Flash movie, Andy Muschietti, has confirmed in a new interview that Affleck will be back in that movie and will form an emotional cornerstone of the movie which will star Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash.

“His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong, which is his masculinity—because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline —but he’s also very vulnerable,” Muschietti says.

“He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.”

It seems that Affleck received the script last week and has now agreed to return to the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.

 “He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie. The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before.

“It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”

“I’m glad to be collaborating with someone who has been on both sides of the camera, too; He [Affleck] understands.”

Also confirming one of the biggest rumours of all time, Muschietti confirms that we will see other Batmans (Batmen?) in the movie, including, yes!, Micheal Keaton in a “substantial” role (here).

Muschietti explains that Miller’s Flash has already met Affleck’s Batman (“the original Batman”) in the theatrical Justice League and, as such, identifies with him as Batman and, without that grounding, he wouldn’t be able to accept other versions of Batman.

“He’s the baseline. He’s part of that unaltered state before we jump into Barry’s adventure. There’s a familiarity there.”

This, of course, all ties back to that scene in The CW’s Arrowverse crossover wherein Miller’s Flash met the TV Flash played by Grant Gustin:

From that moment on, with The CW’s incredible – whether you like their shows or now – crossover of universes,  we fans knew something was coming… and it’s nice to be right sometimes

“This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid,” Muschietti goes on.

“It’s inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”

This, to me, feels like it may – as speculated before – see an explanation for why Batman will, in the Matt Reeves movie, be played by Robert Pattinson, with multiverses being a tricky thing where subtle acts can have massive results… like characters suddenly looking like someone else. Although, I still believe that Pattison’s Batman is a younger version of Affleck’s and until I’m explicitly told other wise, I’ll hold that in my heart.

Adding to this, the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League will give Affleck a better signing off that he got in the Whedon version of the movie which was released in cinemas, so it’s a great time to be a fan of Affleck’s take on the character and, rest assured, we’re all BIG fans of it here at FTN.

The Flash will also, it seems, see the return Ray Fisher’s Cyborg, so this is proof –  as if it were needed – that the DC Universe, which started with Synder, is still alive and well at Warners/DC.

Producer Barbara Muschietti, sister of Andy, reflected on Affleck’s problems playing the role initially and how she feared – as we all did – that he may not want to come back: “There have been some all sorts of stories and things he said himself about having a very hard time playing Batman, and it had been difficult for him.

“I think it was more about a difficult time in his life. When we approached him, he’s now in a very different time in his life. He was very open to it, which was a bit of a surprise to us. It was a question mark.”

“We are all human and go through great times in our lives and terrible times in our lives… right now he’s in a place where he can actually enjoy being Batman.”

She also believes that his role in the movie, and not having to carry the whole thing, was a big part of why he return: “It’s a pivotal role, but at the same time it’s a fun part.”

While it is possible that this is where all the rumours that Affleck was returning for a HBO Max series/movie (here), I have a feeling this is the first return to the role for Affleck and there may be more to come.

As always, watch this spot, folks.

UPDATE

It’s probably unrelated but Alicia Silverstone who played Batgirl in Batman & Robin tweeted this out just a day or two ago:

Preparing to fight off the haters like… 😂👊🏻 #FBF pic.twitter.com/ADMmWPUIyV

— Alicia Silverstone (@AliciaSilv) August 21, 2020

It’s also worth noting that Val Kilmer joked about suiting up again (here) so we may see very brief cameos from other Bat characters too… I wouldn’t bet on it, but it would be a thing to see, for sure.

Thoughts?