The DC Extended Universe is certainly looking to build on its catalog of heroes and movies over the next few years, which will kick off with James Gunn's The Suicide Squad in theaters and on HBO Max this August. The story is also taking a multiversal turn in early 2022 thanks to Robert Pattinson's new version of Bruce Wayne coming in The Batman.
Warner Bros. has had a rollercoaster of a ride with the Caped Crusader since the franchise kicked off in 2013, with Ben Affleck excelling in the role over multiple appearances.
Although he's spoken about going through rough times due to his film's reception, his portrayals of Bruce Wayne in two full movies, a Suicide Squad cameo, and Zack Snyder's Justice League have garnered plenty of praise. He's even set to reprise the role in some capacity for 2022's The Flash, although his future after this movie is unclear in the DCEU.
Keeping his character in the public eye, a recent social media post celebrated one of his earliest days donning the cape and cowl.
BEN AFFLECK'S BATMAN BEGINS
Production designer Patrick Tatopoulos took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes look at Ben Affleck's first shoot as Batman, which was used as promotional material for 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Tatopoulos exclaimed in his caption that "a little bit of Batman and Batmobile never hurts," sharing this image as he waits to share newer things he has in the works. Reminiscing on how he's "still proud of" this picture, he set the Batmobile as "a benchmark" for his time as a photographer:
"A LITTLE BIT OF BATMAN AND BATMOBILE NEVER HURTS. And by the way, Ben is still my favorite Batman. Until I can start showing the new things I have been working on, I’ll bring back some good old stuff that I am still proud of. That Batmobile will always be a benchmark in my career."
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE DCEU
The first official image of Ben Affleck's Batman released to the public in early 2014, nearly two full years before the DCEU's second movie arrived in theaters. While reviews on the final movie were certainly mixed, even leading to the BvS Ultimate Edition becoming a reality, this image helped build a great deal of hype when Warner Bros. first announced its DCEU slate.
Tatopoulos' Instagram post gives a little more color to the shot and provides a more defined frontal look at this new take on Batman, providing a cool look at the open doors on the Batmobile as well. There is still no timeframe on when this shoot took place, but this look back on the event is still a great bit of nostalgia for DC fans.
Even though Affleck's future in the DCEU is a mystery at the moment, this picture serves as a nice memory from his crazy ride as one of DC's top heroes.
Ben Affleck will return as Batman in 2022's The Flash, which is currently filming.
