I remain conflicted about the DCEU’s canceled Batman movie – I wish I could have seen it, but its cancellation led to my all-time favorite Batman movie. Few superhero franchises have had as tumultuous a journey as the DCEU timeline. Amid the highs and lows of its decade-long experiment, one particular casualty still haunts me as both a painful loss and a strange gift: the solo Batman film that Ben Affleck was supposed to write, direct, and star in. Its cancellation left a void – but also paved the way for one that ultimately became my favorite.

Ben Affleck debuted as Batman in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, offering a darker, more world-weary take on the character. His performance stood out, even amid the film’s divisive reception. With the Snyderverse already expanding, Warner Bros. wasted little time announcing that Affleck would helm his own Batman solo film, which he was also co-writing alongside DC stalwart Geoff Johns.

A Batman Movie Starring Ben Affleck Could Have Been Something Truly Special

Affleck Would Have Written, Directed, And Starred In The DCEU’s Batman Movie

Ben Affleck’s Batman movie was rumored to center around Arkham Asylum and a psychological descent into madness, with Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke as the central villain. This would’ve been Batman’s answer to The Raid or Die Hard, taking place mostly in one location with grounded action and emotional stakes. For many, myself included, this sounded like the most exciting Batman concept in years.

Unfortunately, it never materialized. Affleck stepped away from directing, then from writing, and eventually, from the role entirely. Creative differences, personal challenges, and the broader implosion of the Snyderverse all contributed. As such, the DCEU’s solo Batman film – so long in development – vanished before a single frame was sH๏τ.

There’s a lot of “what if” energy surrounding Affleck’s Batman movie. His performance in Batman v Superman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League hinted at a layered, emotionally broken Bruce Wayne who’d been through the wringer – loss, grief, and decades of crime-fighting. Affleck’s older, hardened Batman was the most physically imposing version seen on-screen, and his interpretation brought new narrative possibilities that no prior Batman film had explored.

The notion of Batman being locked in Arkham, fending off inmates he’d personally put away over a decades-long career, plus Deathstroke, a skilled and personal antagonist, creates a recipe for an intense, intimate, action-packed thriller. The tone promised to be more grounded than Justice League but more kinetic and comic-book faithful than Christopher Nolan’s realism.

Ben Affleck’s Batman Movie Paving The Way To The Batman Is A Complicated Matter

The Batman Became Matt Reeves’ Vision Instead

What’s both frustrating and fascinating is how the collapse of Affleck’s Batman ultimately opened the door for a completely different vision. With Affleck out, director Matt Reeves was brought in and offered the chance to reboot the project entirely. Rather than continue within the DCEU, Reeves pitched a standalone detective noir with a younger Bruce Wayne, one unconnected to the continuity that had grown increasingly convoluted.

The result was The Batman (2022), starring Robert Pattinson in a brooding, year-two version of the Caped Crusader. Despite my disappointment over losing Affleck’s film, Reeves’ The Batman quickly became my favorite Batman movie ever made. The Batman delivered everything I never knew I needed.

Its tone was consistent and immersive, its mystery-driven plot played like a genuine detective story, and Pattinson’s Batman felt closer to the haunted vigilante of the comics than any version before. The cinematography, the sound design, the stripped-down gadgets – it all worked. The Gotham of Reeves’ film is the most atmospheric to date, and Michael Giacchino’s score still echoes in my mind.

I’m So Glad The Batman Was Made, But Still Sad We Never Got A Solo Batman Movie When The DCEU Needed It

Ben Affleck’s Batman Could Have Saved The DCEU

Therein lies the emotional whiplash. I love The Batman and wouldn’t trade it for anything – except, maybe, the movie it replaced. What stings the most is that audiences could have had both. Affleck’s movie wouldn’t have needed to contradict Reeves’ film; it could have existed in parallel as the franchise now does with James Gunn’s DCU.

While the DCEU was floundering with inconsistent tone and direction, a solo Batman film could have grounded the universe again, given audiences a reason to invest in the core heroes. Affleck’s Batman had unfinished business – emotional arcs with Alfred, legacy questions, the Robin storyline – and it deserved closure. Even more frustrating is that Affleck’s Batman only appeared in ensemble line-ups, when a solo movie might have given the DCEU the boost it needed.

Instead, a promising character arc dissolved behind the scenes. By the time the DCEU fizzled out completely, the chance for a definitive Batman moment within that universe had long pᴀssed. Even though The Batman was a triumph, it arrived as part of a separate continuity that didn’t help the franchise that had initially introduced Affleck’s Batman at all. So, while I’m glad we got The Batman, I’ll never stop wondering what could’ve been if Affleck had gotten the chance to finish what he started.

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