Soooo... the news broke last night that Ben Affleck is going to be Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel 2. This has been the casting choice that has been hanging in the air for a month since Warner Brothers announced that there would be a Batman appearance in the Superman sequel. This is the movie that is to lay the groundwork for the future DC Comics cinematic universe, and by default set up the team for the Justice League movie that WB wants to get to so bad. And it seems that they have tapped Mr. Gigli himself to don the cowl. Now any comic fan worth their weight in salt knows that Bats & Supes are the cornerstones of any future success DC/WB can ever hope to have... and Man of Steel did do quite well ($650 million worldwide so far!)... so is DC finally on the right track after misfires like Green Lantern and Nolan's Batman trilogy coming to end? Could be... but is Affleck the guy to be the Bat for this whole transition? The general consensus is FUCK NO... and most people are shaking their heads in disgust that Big Ben got the role. They think he will suck it up, ruin everything, and set DC/WB is about to lose any traction they FINALLY gained with Man of Steel. But I think this could be a GOOD thing for the whole future DC Cinematic Universe... and I got some points to prove it. Check out after the jump why I don't think Affleck is all that bad as The Dark Knight....
So here it is in a nutshell... Once again the Internet & fan boys everywhere are over reacting. I honestly believe that this would have been the case with just about anyone who would have gotten the role... so check out my reasons why this ain't all that bad of a development:
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| Matthew Goode wasn't that bad in Watchman, was he??? |
This is just typical Internet/Fan Boy hate in a nutshell. Bash something, and offer up some other casting choice who would have made a much better choice. Forget about the fact that this is just dumb (you don't know what roles an actor/actress has scheduled that could conflict, or if they even want the fucking role in the first place) and counter productive, but it usually goes like this: Affleck is chosen, and some schmuck says "Fuck Affleck.... Josh Brolin would have been a way better choice!" all over the 'Net. But if they would have picked Brolin, the statement would probably go "Fuck Brolin.... Ben Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms and would be a way better choice!". You can't make these fucking cry babies happy no matter what, so don't bother trying....
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| Academy Awards are still good... right? |
2) Affleck Is A Pretty Good Overall Actor:
Listen... before you start talking about the shitty movies Affleck has made (Reindeer Games anyone?), think about how many GOOD movies he has made. He has been in well over 40 films, most of which he was in the starring role. Sure he has some duds like the aforementioned Reindeer Games, Gigli, and Paycheck... but he is also the guy who killed in The Town, all the Kevin Smith movies he has done (especially Chasing Amy), and Shakespeare In Love. And he has the legendary role of Fred O'Bannion in Dazed & Confused in there as well. Not to mention a little movie called Argo, which he DIRECTED AND STARRED IN!!!! This guy is a really good actor, and the fact that he even WANTS to be Batman is pretty cool in its own right. And before you fucks start getting on me for leaving out Daredevil as a shitty movie that Ben has done, just wait... that piece of junk gets its own reason...
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| A totally different (and much less shitty) movie |
Daredevil is an easy target, mostly because the film most people saw sucked more dicks than Jenna Jameson. Not to mention that this was Affleck starring in a Super Hero movie... and we don't want to see him fuck up another great comic book character. But there is an interesting aside to the whole Daredevil movie that most people don't actually know about... and it makes a world of a difference. Director Mark Steven Johnson may have produced a steaming pile of shit, yet it might not have been his and Afflecks fault completely. The studio was meddling in every aspect of the filming, and they re-cut, re-wrote and required Johnson to do things he did not want to do with the film. This is apparent in the Director's Cut of the film, which has whole sub plots that were left out of the theatrical movie that make it a completely different film. It is also a much more violent cut (it would have been an R rating instead of PG-13) and focused less on the romance between Daredevil & Electra. I have seen it, I own the Blu Ray of the Director's Cut, and it is pretty much WAY BETTER in every way to the theatrical version. So if you only saw the theatrical version, and you think this is proof that Affleck can't do a super hero justice... well, take a look at the Director's Cut and then get back to me....
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| One of the best podcasts on the 'Net |
4) Affleck Has Some Bat-Friends To Fall Back On:
As Ringo pointed out on 'With A Little Help From My Friends', having some good back up could be enough to put you over the top in any certain situation. Affleck may not ring bells for all Bat Fans... but his boy Kevin Smith sure does. Smith is an authority on all things Batman, has written some great Batman comics (Cacophony is nothing short of perfect), and even hosts a weekly podcast called 'Fatman on Batman' where he discusses his obsession with everything Batty. If Ben was ever gonna reach out to his ole buddy Kev and ask a question about anything, this would be the situation to do so. And this is probably the best person that could possibly offer up any advice to Ben on how to play the character. Kevin Smith knows Batman better than anybody in Hollywood... even better than Nolan. Sure, Nolan made three great Batman movies... but Smith is a true fan and can probably help Ben out. Smith also should have probably reached out to Affleck when he was playing Daredevil (which he didn't) and probably won't let his boy down again...
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| Never Forget |
5) Finally... Chances Are DC IS Gonna Fuck This Whole Situation Up Anyway:
DC Comics & Warner Brothers have had more false starts and miss steps than anyone with so many can't miss properties in their stable. Think about how many things they fucked up: The first set of Batman movie sequels (nipple suits for everyone), Green Lantern (How do you fuck this up?), Constantine (Keanu Reeves as Hellblazer... WTF?), Catwoman (Halle Berry almost killed the comic book movie industry as we know it) and Jonah Hex (what was this piece of shit?). And all of these fuck ups happened AFTER comic book movies became popular and are pretty much can't miss. These people fucked up Superman for Chrissakes... Superman Returns almost made all real comic fans not even want to go see The Dark Knight!!! People should worry much less about Affleck's choice for the role and be much more concerned with things like who writes the movie and how they are gonna twist it all wrong. Lets get it together guys... Marvel is fucking killing you. Try.. that is all I ask.
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| Applesauce, Bitch!!!!! |
Bravo. This is a great rant. I am glad I read it after I wrote my own. You added many fresh points to my argument. This will work. I have a strange faith in this project.
ReplyDeleteBen Affleck is great. Ben Affleck directing a Batman movie would be great. Ben Affleck starring as Batman....fucking clown shoes.
ReplyDeleteagreed. but, I also gasped when Heath ledger was cast as Joker.....and swooned when Christian bale was cast as The Dark Knight.
DeleteSo what the f' do I know? I'll wait until it comes out, see it, than form an opinion. Affleck's been on a bit of a tear lately. I am just a little disappointed because I thought Brolin would have been a lock but, as Mike alludes...who knows what Brolin thought about it or what was already on his schedule.
Ledger was a very obscure choice because he wasn't really known for anything big other than that gay cowboy movie. Affleck has clout. He's an Oscar winning director and screen-writer. Those are his true talents & his strong points. No matter how much one could love The Town and Argo, his acting is up for interpretation with people. So now that we know Ben's strong points, we can safely assume that his Batman will probably not be good. Is it the worst choice? Definitely not. But it's not much of an effort to kick this movie off in a positive direction.
DeleteHahahaha.. Clown shoes....
DeleteI agree with Jeff... when i saw Ledger's name as the Joker I almost died... that turned out ok. And I see ya point KMG... this could go either way for sure....Two years!
DeleteIn truth, I'm not a fan of Affleck's performances; I can't even attempt to name one movie (besides Argo) where it's really memorable for me. Maybe Dogma? (haha.) But his directing is killer. I wish he was directing honestly.
DeleteLedger was an AWFUL actor who brought something great to the table that I couldn't have seen coming. As far as the acting was concerned, the film was great BECAUSE of him.
DeleteChristian Bale is a BRILLIANT actor who just didn't bring much to the table as the TDK. The films were great in spite of him.
In 2015, I'm hoping in regards to Affleck I'm saying how he is a BRILLIANT director who brought something to the table that I just couldn't have seen coming.
Well, like every struggling actor, Ledger desperately needed to find that one breakout role. The Joker was clearly it. Affleck is already a heavy-weight in Hollywood. He's already established himself. This seems like a weird choice for him at this point in his career. I think it's actually a challenging role for him and he seems to be up for it. Kudos to him for wanting to take that leap, even with most likely knowing what the reaction was going to be amongst fans. What a daredevil! (::wink, wink::)
DeleteBen has been able to re-invent himself as an actor by choosing roles that suit him. They're all kind of like him. Batman does not suit him . It's just gonna be, 'hey look, there's Ben Affleck in a Batman mask.' It's too much.
DeleteI thought Ben had learned. We all forgave him for all his earlier dopiness and were embracing the new bearded grown up.
The whole thing just reeks of desperation. So disappointing.
Desperation from WB/DC maybe. Cavill isn't a big star, Reynolds didn't work out, Nolan/Bale are done... They need a star to push things forward... I say that WB/DC needs Affleck right now way more than the other way around...
DeleteIt's ABSOLUTELY desperation from WB. MOS did ok but not as good as they hoped, so what do they do? Shove Batman in it, and then cast Ben Affleck! I can't even believe it. I really feel like it's a joke, or a plot from an Apatow movie. It's such an obvious ridiculous choice.
DeleteBen absolutely does not need it, so the brunt of this is for sure going to be on him. He's spent the last like 7 years rehabbing his whole career. To a point where everyone embraced him as a serious filmmaker. He takes that minute of good grace....and dresses up like fucking Batman!?
I share Rob's sentiment. It's an odd way to go. For both sides.
DeleteI will not call into question Affleck's proficiency as an actor, director, filmmaker, etc. His recent turn in years have been excellent, from Hollywoodland to Argo. I think he is more than a competent actor/filmmaker, he is one of the better ones working in Hollywood right now. But, for me, it is going to be hard to get past the fact that I'll be looking at Ben Affleck in a Batman suit, and not Batman himself. But, he could still pull it off, and I hope I'm wrong. I won't be boycotting it, I'm just far more skeptical than I was.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you guys. Affleck takes hits for his bombs, but isn't really a bad actor. He has shined when in good movies. I worry more about the screen play then the new Batman.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Clooney was great in a lot of things too.
ReplyDelete- Glenn
Agreed. I see where you're going with this.
Delete('Anonymous Glenn'...sign up for blogger..you can connect with almost anything now and I won't accept excuses!)
I saw my options and this is the only one I can use. I'd prefer to connect through Twitter.
DeleteGlen, you are right... sort of. Clooney was great in a lot of things... but most of those things took place after the Bat nipples and his turn as Batman. Look at his filmography... what was he "great" in BEFORE Batman? From Dusk Till Dawn is the only good one prior to Batman & Robin...
DeleteI knew I could count on Michael Paul to have the contrary opinion! Your argument is sound. Though, I resent being called a 'schmuck'. Affleck is a PHENOMENAL director...a pretty swell actor and a self-made man for sure. Is he Batman? Is he Bruce Wayne? I won't know THAT for sure until 2015. I'm only guilty of being disappointed that Josh Brolin wouldn't be suiting up but, my knowledge of what makes a great film Batman is rooted only in prior Batman film knowledge, episodes of the Super Friends (and Scooby Doo cartoon cameos), and the 60's Batman TV serial....oh...and countless hours of pretending to BE Batman. I've never read a single page of Batman comics. So I let the cowl lay where it lands. I'm just as excited to see this film as I was for 'Man of Steal'.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to take a moment to congratulate Ben Affleck. Can you imagine being part of such fantastic news yet have to deal with such enormous backlash at the same time? I don't envy him.
ReplyDeleteGood or bad, I'll still see this shit.
ReplyDeleteagreed!
DeleteWhat about this: By having a huge (and highly in demand) talent like Affleck involved, doesn't this mean that WB & DC will have to hold true to their timetable and get this movie (and future movies in the DC Cinematic universe) out in a timely fashion? I am sure Affleck is signing a multi pic deal... so having his presence involved puts the pressure on WB/DC and forces them to stop dicking around because Affleck is in demand and won't sit back and wait.... Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteWhat did they do with Ryan Reynolds, you know? He's a pretty big actor that they'd want to sign on for multiple films going into in a Justice League direction, no? I'd go out on a limb and say they won't sign this guy to a multi-picture deal until they see what happens with his first attempt. Especially after Green Lantern.
DeleteBut then if its a hit, the studio has no leverage to keep the star. Like if RDJ would have only signed on for Iron Man 1 and it hit as big as it did, Marvel would have had to give him BOOKU bucks for all the sequels. Instead they had him locked up for like a 5 pic deal from the get go....
DeleteReynolds was supposed to be the true 1st step....
DeleteAffleck on playing another Super Hero...
ReplyDelete"By playing a superhero in Daredevil, I have inoculated myself from ever playing another superhero. Wearing a costume was a source of humiliation for me and something I wouldn't want to do again soon."
http://web.archive.org/web/20080811042318/http://www.slashfilm.com/article.php/20061102afflecknodaredevil
That article is 7 YEARS OLD Rob. He prob felt that way at the time... but look how much has changed in 7 years. He HAS re-established himself as a credible actor/director & superhero movies have BLOWN UP thanks to the Nolan trilogy and Marvel's success... To say that he should stand by comments he made 7 years ago is weak because the comments came before he proved himself as legit and before super hero movies truly hit it big!!!!
DeleteOf course of course/ And this is Batman after all. Could any man really turn down the chance to be Batman? I just thought it was interesting.
DeleteMy first reaction was "yawn". But that's par for course with DC for me because with the exception of the Nolan Batman films, and a few isolated Batman stories here and there, I find everything DC does to be wildly uninteresting (unless you count Vertigo titles, which I don't). Affleck as Batman feels to me like stunt casting, and just another sad attempt to catch up to Marvel... Which has been DC's MO for the past 30 years. With that said, Affleck is a competent actor and will probably do a decent job. Casting has never been DC's problem. Making a good movie not called Batman has (and really they're batting .500 there too)
ReplyDeleteAlso, isn't it a little soon for this? Outside the Nolan films, they haven't established shit about this "shared universe". There's been 1 Superman film so far. They should develop who this version of the character is a little more before they start teaming him up with others. But, Marvel has The Avengers so DC just HAS to get this done in their typical "do whatever is working for Marvel" business model. And you know what? While I'm ranting, where the fuck are Metropolis and Gotham City anyway? I kind of liked the artfulness of Nolan using obvious NY and Chicago landmarks as if to say Gotham is every city, but then what about Metropolis? And do they have a New York too? DC fucking sucks.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a shit show. It's such an obvious reaction to the somewhat negative response and results of Man of Steel. You know there was a conversation like....
Delete"It didn't make a billion dollars. What do we do for the next one?
Well, Batman made a billion dollars.
YES Batman! Let's put Batman in it! Who plays him though?
Ben Affleck is popular?
YES!"
Forget about discussing Affleck as Batman for a second. Can we REALLY picture Affleck as Bruce Wayne?? Try. It's really weird.
ReplyDeleteI can. It looks like.....Ben Affleck.
Deleteanother good read.
ReplyDeletehttp://latino-review.com/2013/08/guest-post-ben-affleck-will-be-the-bomb-as-batman-yo/