Warner Bros. has put an end to the intense speculation over the casting of the next Dark Knight by announcing that Ben Affleck (Daredevil, Argo) is set to star as Bruce Wayne / Batman alongside Henry Cavill’s Superman in the sequel to Man of Steel.
“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman,” said Zack Snyder as part of the official announcement. “He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”
Affleck will line-up alongside Cavill and returning Man of Steel stars Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Laurence Fishburne (Perry White) and Diane Lane (Martha Kent) in the eagerly-anticipated Batman vs. Superman, which has now been confirmed for release on July 17th, 2015. Snyder will direct from a script by David S. Goyer.
His casting brings to an end a month of debate as to who would succeed Christian Bale as Batman, with rumoured contenders having included Orlando Bloom (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug), Josh Brolin (Oldboy), Ryan Gosling (Only God Forgives), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Richard Armitage (The Hobbit), Max Martini (Pacific Rim), Matthew Goode (Watchmen), Josh Duhamel (Transformers), Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes), Gerard Butler (300), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Brad Pitt (World War Z), Jim Caviezel (Person of Interest), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen), and Scott Adkins (The Expendables 2).
What are your thoughts on the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman? Is he the right choice? Let us know in the comments below….
Originally published August 23, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
