The DCEU Batman, Ben Affleck, has shared some unflattering experiences during his time as the Caped Crusader, but one regret has risen to the top.
Ben Affleck first played Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, continuing in throughout that era of connecting DC films, ending in 2023's The Flash. His portrayal received mixed reviews, and his time in the cape was never fully realized due to larger universe-building issues.
Recently, Affleck was asked about his experience playing The Dark Knight, and he surprised fans by revealing why he will never return to DC and his main regret.
Ben Affleck's One Batman Regret
While speaking with GQ, going over most of his past movies ahead of the Accountant 2's release, Ben Affleck shared what he regrets most about his time as Batman.
He shared that if he had to choose one, that fact that his son Fin "was totally too scared to watch it" when he initially tried to show him:""
"And I guess my regret about that movie is that when I went to show it to my son at the time, he was totally too scared to watch it."
Unfortunately, because his son was so young at the time, about 7 years old when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released, Affleck "lost out on that thing of being Batman to [his] son."
Now, when Fin asks his dad about previously playing Batman, he just tells him, "Don't worry about it:"
"So I lost out on that thing of being Batman to my son. Now he's old enough and he's like, 'You are Batman right? At one point a long time ago.' I'm like, 'Don't worry about it.'"
Before giving the answer on his biggest regret surrounding his time as Batman, Affleck was complimentary about his time working on Batman v Superman:
"No I had a great time. I love being in Detroit. I really love [Zack Snyder] and Chris Terrio, who was the writer, I love."
He explained that "the core notion" of his version of Bruce Wayne
"aging and past that prime," which was inspired by Frank Miller's The Dark Night Returns, was always something he really enjoyed:
I really liked the core notion of this superhero who has this very iconic, legendary public image who people thought of in one kind of way - which was very strong and very powerful and all that stuff - and then trying to find the reality in that, which was a guy who's aging and past that prime and has aches and pains, very much inspired by the Frank Miller graphic novel 'The Dark Knight Returns' where Superman and Batman are in conflict. And I loved doing it and I loved making it."
Ben Affleck's Rollercoaster Ride As Batman
Ben Affleck's journey as Batman began in 2016, replacing Christian Bale four years after Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy concluded.
Where things really went sideways was in 2017's Justice League. The much-maligned film proved to be a particularly troubled production due to director changes, on-set issues, and Affleck's personal struggles with addiction.
Originally slated to direct and star in a solo Batman film, Affleck stepped away from the project. The experience of making Justice League that "made [Affleck] go, 'I'm out. I never want to do any of this again:'"
"But I was going to direct a Batman, and [Justice League] made me go, 'I'm out. I never want to do any of this again. I'm not suited.' That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some shitty experiences. It broke my heart. There was an idea of someone [Joss Whedon] coming in, like, 'I'll rescue you and we'll do 60 days of shooting and I'll write a whole thing around what you have. I’ve got the secret.' And it wasn’t the secret. That was hard."
His time in the cape became emblematic of the highs and lows of both his career and personal life as he dealt with public scrutiny and health setbacks.
Despite these challenges, he briefly returned to the role in the Zack Snyder's Justice League cut and later made a final cameo in 2023's The Flash.
Surprisingly, Affleck said The Flash was "the most fun [he] had playing" Batman, a rare bright spot in what was otherwise a complicated chapter. Looking back, he's spoken with honesty about the experience and how his iteration of Batman is one of many ups and downs.
