Gary Collinson wonders what the casting of an older Dark Knight in Batman vs. Superman means for future Batman movies…
So, after a month of intense speculation which saw virtually every actor in Hollywood linked to the role, we now know the identity of the next Batman, with last week’s announcement that Ben Affleck has signed on to succeed Christian Bale under the cape and cowl sending sections of the Batman fan community into a fit of rage. Regardless of opinion on Affleck’s casting, the fact that we now know that Warner Bros.’ DC Cinematic Universe version of the Dark Knight will be an older Batman raises several questions, not just for the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, but also the solo films that will surely follow…
What Does It Mean For Batman’s Rogues Gallery?
In each of the previous instalments in Warner’s Batman movie franchise, we’ve either seen the origin of the villain, or Batman’s first encounter with said foe. But now, in the forthcoming Batman vs. Superman, director Zack Snyder, screenwriter David S. Goyer and Ben Affleck will present a seasoned Batman, who’s presumably spent much of the past ten or so years fighting all of the major villains in his Rogues Gallery. While this certainly has its advantage in delivering something fresh, it also raises several problems. Let’s say for example The Joker appears in the first post-Batman vs. Superman solo movie. Are we going to see an origin of sorts? Or is this simply the nth time that the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime have squared off against each other? If it is the Joker’s first appearance, then what’s Batman been doing for the past ten years? Fighting street punks in Crime Alley? If it’s not his first appearance, how will they bring us up to speed on all of the history and backstory between the two? And if Batman has thwarted the Joker’s plans time and again before, where would the threat come from this time? This could certainly prove tricky for the writers going forward, unless the plan is have the new Batfilms serve as Snyder’s Batman Forever / Batman and Robin to Christopher Nolan’s Batman / Batman Returns? If so, expect a new petition to be landing on Warner’s doormat in the near future…
Are We Going To See Robin?
Similar to the issue of Batman’s Rogues Gallery, where does Robin the Boy Wonder fit into the world of this rebooted Batman? With Warner Bros. planning to adopt Marvel’s strategy of a cohesive shared universe, you can bet your bottom dollar that Robin will fit into the studio’s plans somewhere. Let’s face it – behind Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, Robin is probably DC’s fourth most recognisable hero in the eyes of the general public (you could maybe even make a case for him having more name recognition than Wonder Woman), and if Batman has been doing his thing for ten or so years, surely Bruce would have already taken on Dick Grayson as his ward by the time Batfleck comes up against Henry Cavill’s Superman. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Robin make an appearance in Batman vs. Superman (or mentioned at the very least) and you could even extend this to cameos from other superheroes. After all, if Batman has been serving as Gotham’s protector for the past decade, surely some other heroes would have sprung up in that time, inspired by the nocturnal activities of the Dark Knight. Overlooking the fact that they were nowhere to be seen when General Zod and company were trashing Metropolis, Warner Bros. could potentially use Batman vs. Superman to firmly outline its DC Cinematic Universe. In which case, Batman vs. Superman is Warner’s Iron Man 2.
How Much Gas Will Batman Have Left In The Tank?
By the time that Batman vs. Superman hits cinemas in 2015, Ben Affleck will be a month shy of his 43rd birthday, and based upon what we’ve heard from Snyder about Bruce Wayne being “older and wiser than Clark Kent and bearing the scars of a seasoned crime fighter”, we can assume that Batman is around the same age. Christian Bale’s Batman spent 18 months fighting crime in Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and his body was a wreck by the time of The Dark Knight Rises, so what kind of shape is Batfleck going to be in when you multiply that by ten? Or is he going to be a virtual cyborg, kept going by Lucius Fox’s magic leg braces and all other manner of convenient Wayne Enterprise tech? But in all seriousness, how much is Bruce really going to have left in the tank by the time of Batman vs. Superman? Sure, he could probably last a solo movie or two building to Justice League, but surely by that point he’d be thinking about hanging up his cape, which would leave the DC Cinematic Universe without it’s most popular character. Unless they’re planning to go down a Dark Knight Returns route, which I think is something every Batman fan would love to see, or maybe combine elements of Frank Miller’s classic tale with Batman Beyond, having Bruce pass on the mantle of the mantle to a younger Batman. But before we get to solo Batman movies, there’s one other burning question…
How The Hell Will Batman Survive A Fight With Superman?
Okay, we all know Batman and Superman aren’t actually going to fight in 2015. That would be one short movie, and Superman’s already caused enough controversy by killing General Zod. Although based upon the reaction to Affleck’s casting, he might have more support for offing Batfleck. Hey, maybe that’s how Warner plans to top The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now it’s all starting to make sense…
How do you think an older Batman will work in Warner’s DC Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments below…
Gary Collinson is a writer and lecturer from the North East of England. He is the editor-in-chief of FlickeringMyth.com and the author of Holy Franchise, Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen.
Originally published August 28, 2013. Updated April 12, 2018.
