Aquaman actor Jason Momoa previously boosted the anticipation for the appearance of Ben Affleck's Batman in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but a new rumor may have offered a frustrating update about the actor's DCU comeback.
Although marketing has yet to begin for Aquaman 2 officially, Momoa has been at the forefront of promoting the sequel in various interviews. In July of this year, the DCU veteran previously confirmed that Affleck's Dark Knight would be featured in the sequel by posting a behind-the-scenes image of himself and the Batman actor.
Momoa also hyped up Affleck's Batman return in Aquaman 2, noting that the reunion was "too much fun" and "it’s just hugs and kisses."
Now, it seems that Momoa became overly excited about Affleck's DCU comeback as a related and notable rumor has emerged online.
Will Ben Affleck Still Show Up in Aquaman 2?
Following an update that a test screening for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was recently held, entertainment scooper KC Walsh of Geeks Worldwide shared that Ben Affleck's Batman didn't appear in the cut that was shown.
Alongside the update, Walsh also revealed that Amber Heard's role was unchanged and Willem Dafoe's Vulko was also not featured.
When a fan pointed out that Momoa earlier confirmed that Affleck would star in the sequel, Walsh reiterated that "he wasn't in the movie" at this time.
When another fan asked if Warner Bros. decided to omit Affleck's return in the test screening as a surprise for the audience, Walsh noted that the studio "cut a major scene" that made Bruce Wayne's scene "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."
MyTimeToShineHello also supported Walsh's reveal, saying that "there was no Bruce [Wayne] in it all:"
"A little update: There was no Bruce in it at all and they changed stuff around so he is no longer necessary to the plot."
This frustrating update spells bad news for fans expecting Affleck's cameo in Aquaman 2. Michael Keaton's Caped Crusader was initially supposed to appear in the sequel. However, he was then replaced by Affleck, who had his role confirmed by lead star Jason Momoa, only to be removed completely.
Will Batman Still Show Up?
It is unknown if Ben Affleck's Batman would have had a substantial role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but the DC hero's absence could potentially affect those fans who are anticipating his appearance in the sequel.
Despite being confirmed by Jason Momoa, a no-show from Batman would lead to more confusion on the continuity of the superhero franchise.
In fact, whether or not Bruce Wayne has an actual key presence, the character's appearance would've been deemed as important in addressing the DCU's cohesiveness.
Still, there are other factors as to why Affleck will not appear in Aquaman 2, such as the Multiverse shenanigans that will happen in Ezra Miller's The Flash. Moreover, it's possible that The Lost Kingdom will not ultimately require Batman's presence for the sequel to mainly focus on the titular hero and its rumored natural disaster plot.
At this stage, only time will tell if Batman does appear in the highly-anticipated sequel.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to premiere in theaters on December 25, 2023.
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