Ben Affleck In Talks to Direct New DC Superhero Movie

By Nathan Johnson Updated:
Ben Affleck, Batman, Justice League

Ben Affleck's directorial debut in the DCU could possibly be happening under James Gunn and Peter Safran.

Affleck's last on-screen appearance as DC's Batman was in Zack Snyder's Justice League, before stating that he had plans to walk away from the character for good.

At one point, Affleck was confirmed to be starring in and directing a solo Batman film that would have fit somewhere into the DCEU. Joe Manganiello was set to reprise his role as Deathstroke and serve as the main antagonist for the film, but it was ultimately scrapped as Affleck walked away.

However, it seems as though Affleck may be making a return to the director's chair under Gunn and Safran's new management, even if he doesn't put on the cape and cowl ever again.

Ben Affleck in Talks to Direct DCU Film

Ben Affleck Batman
DC

According to DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, Ben Affleck, who portrayed Batman in the DCEU's Batman V. Superman and Justice League, has been in talks with Gunn and Peter Safran about directing a film in the new universe.

According to Gunn, he and Affleck most recently met on Tuesday, December 13 to discuss possible DC superhero projects that would be best for Affleck to helm:

"Met with Ben yesterday precisely because he wants to direct & we want him to direct; we just have to find the right project."

This news came shortly after Gunn announced that Superman star Henry Cavill would not be returning as the Man of Steel in the future.

Will Affleck Direct a Batman Film?

Affleck has served as a director on many successful films throughout his career, and it is clear that Gunn and Safran think he has something to bring to the table when it comes to their upcoming DCU slate.

While the former DCEU star could put his talents to use in any movie, he obviously specializes in one character above them all - Batman.

Since Affleck portrayed the character through multiple projects and was even in the process of making his own feature focused on the Dark Knight, his knowledge of the character is above that of the average director.

Affleck knows Bruce Wayne inside and out, and while it has not been confirmed, it is extremely possible and maybe even likely that this mystery movie will be about the DCU's Batman.

Gunn has already recently confirmed that Superman will play a large role in the future - even if it is an iteration of the character that fans aren't familiar with. Because of this, it is safe to say that he and Safran are also interested in exploring one of DC's other most popular characters.

- About The Author: Nathan Johnson
Nathan is a writer at The Direct where he covers Star Wars, the MCU, and DC news. He joined The Direct in April 2021 and currently writes news and feature articles about all three brands mentioned above, but his main specialty is his knowledge about anything and everything Star Wars.