As a part of the incoming DCU reboot, the super-powered brand cancelled some major plans for Ben Affleck's Batman.
Affleck took over the role of the Caped Crusader back in 2013, and to say the actor had a rollercoaster of a time working within the franchise would be an understatement.
The actor's four canon DC appearances have averaged a dismal 39.5% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Batfleck was supposed to be a pillar of the franchise - with a Ben Affleck-directed Batman film even in the works at one point - but he was ultimately abandoned like so many plans for the blue brand.
Batfleck's Flash Fandango
After years of saying he was done with the role and was set to part with DC, very real momentum for Ben Affleck's version of the Dark Knight started to mount.
This was all going to kick off with a post-credits sequence that would have taken place (and was even filmed) for The Flash.
While Affleck does appear in the super-speed spectacular, the Ezra Miller-led blockbuster was initially going to set up the character for more down the line in the franchise.
According to leaker ViewerAnon on X (formerly known as Twitter), the scene featured Affleck in his "suit but no cowl" popping up on Barry Allen's (Ezra Miller's DC hero) computer monitor alongside Henry Cavill's Superman saying "You have to find us, Barry! Find us," indicating barry had returned to the wrong universe:
"Barry returns home and all of his monitors start flashing. Affleck appears on all screens wearing the suit but no cowl. He doesn't know if this message will find Barry but if it does they need his help. 'You have to find us, Barry! Find us!' Ends with Barry saying 'Oh, fu-'"
This computer sequence would have taken place in the same post-credit scene that was ultimately attached to the movie with Jason Momoa's Aquaman drunkenly stumbling around outside Barry's apartment (per Chris Gore of Film Threat).
But instead of going inside the apartment and turning on his computer, the stinger was cut short in the final version of the film.
This post-credits scene would have seemingly set up the next Flash film (and potentially laid the seeds for Justice League 2), with Barry venturing back into the multiverse in an attempt to get home.
Is Ben Affleck in Aquaman 2?
Another filmed Battfleck appearance fans will likely never get to see is in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Aquaman 2 was supposedly set to feature a Batman cameo at one point during production, with appearances from both Micahel Keaton and Ben Affleck's DC heroes having been filmed.
Which of these cameos would actually make the final cut changed as the direction of the DCEU shifted over time, as Warner Bros. opted to swap the Keaton appearance for Affleck.
Affleck would then be pictured on set with Aquaman star Jason Momoa, seemingly confirming his Caped Crusader was the way the studio was going to go for the film.
Then, in December 2022 (shortly after James Gunn and Peter Safran were brought on to reboot the DCU), it was revealed that Batfleck had been removed from the super-powered sequel.
Insider KC Walsh told fans at the time, "[Affleck] wasn't in the movie," as the studio "cut a major scene" that made Bruce Wayne's appearance "no longer necessary:"
"Without spoiling anything I’ll just say they cut a major scene and it appears the Bruce Wayne scene is no longer necessary."
With the incoming Gunn/Safran DC reboot on the way, Aquaman 2 would have been the last place fans would be able to see Ben Affleck in the Batman role, but with his appearance having been removed, it seems audiences have already seen the last of the character.
A Crisis on Infinite Earths
This plan for Ben Affleck's Batman would have seemingly culminated in a full-on Justice League sequel, specifically a film adaptation of the beloved DC Comics Crisis on Infinite Earths story.
The multiversal story would have served as a psuedo-reset for the DCEU, allowing Warner Bros. to recast where they needed, while also giving the past era of heroes one last ride in the super-powered universe.
This was a project that former head of DC films Walter Hamada was reportedly quite passionate about but was never formally announced.
While Affleck may have been leaning towards leaving the DC world, his work in Aquaman 2 and The Flash would have "[left] the door open for him to come back during a crisis event," according to scooper KC Walsh.
Walsh added that as Warner Bros. started to look past the Zack Snyder-era of the franchise, fans were "never getting direct Snyder sequels," but "they will bring everyone back for a crisis event and call it a win:"
"Your never getting direct Snyder sequels, they are going to make you think you are so you all continue to buy in, like your doing with 'The Flash' and then they will bring everyone back for a crisis event and call it a win"
Of course, the version of The Flash fans ended up getting was not the one Walsh was reporting upon, as the studio set its sights for a full reset instead of building to this Crisis movie.
Ben Affleck's four canon DCEU appearances can be seen now on Max.
